Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID) officials recovered 80 gold bars concealed inside the shoes of 2 workers on the runway of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Sunday.
The recovered gold weighed 9.34 kilograms and had an estimated market value of Tk16.25 crore.
At around 9:30am, acting on a tip-off, the officials conducted an operation on an Emirates Airlines flight (EK0582) arriving in Dhaka from Dubai and recovered the gold.
NBR official Md Al-Amin Shaikh confirmed the information. He said CIID officials were on alert at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
Later, while the flight was parked in the apron area beneath Boarding Bridge No 4 near Gate No 21, the 2 workers were searched.
During the search, 80 gold bars were found concealed inside the shoes of Emirates flight workers Md Manik Mia and Md Mizanur Rahman. Both men are employed as Aircraft Technical Helpers (ATHs).
According to the National Board of Revenue (NBR), each gold bar weighed approximately 117 grams. The total weight was around 9.34 kilograms, with an estimated market value of Tk16.25 crore.
CIID is investigating who else may be involved in the smuggling method, where the gold was brought from and to whom it was supposed to be delivered.
The agency said further legal action is being taken in the case.
Earlier, at around 1:45am, Dhaka Customs House recovered 4.5 kilograms of gold from the body of a passenger on a Malaysia Airlines flight at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. The recovered gold was estimated to be worth around Tk8 crore.