Customs officials have seized illegal products worth Tk30 crore at Benapole border from India returnees in the past 10 months.
Benapole Customs House Commissioner Md Azizur Rahman and Joint Commissioner A Rashid Mia at the check-post searched the luggage of the passport holders returning from India and seized the products.
During this time, officials filed 1,613 departmental cases regarding the confiscation of illegal products.
The seized Indian products include 3,549 saris, 2,930 salwar kameez, 2,702kg of chocolates, 10,422 cosmetic products, 262 medicines, 86 litres of alcohol, 451kg of jewellery, 996kg of fabrics, 123kg of blankets, 4,465kg of parts and machinery, 104kg of sandals, and 10 mobile phones.
According to customs sources, a gang has been importing goods violating the baggage rules for a long time, evading taxes.
Joint Commissioner Rashid said customs officials have been working to curb smuggling, and that the check-post has remained unprotected for a long time making it easy to smuggle goods.
“But now we have adopted a zero-tolerance policy against smuggling,” he said.
