Customs officials say they have seized 15kg 65gm of amphetamine at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.
Maruful Islam, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Customs, told Dhaka Tribune on Wednesday that the seizure was made during a security check at the airport’s Export Cargo Village in the early hours of the day.
Amphetamine is an illegal drug in Bangladesh which was included in the list of Category A narcotics under the Narcotics Control Act 2018.
According to a top security official at the airport, a cargo flight of Bangladesh Biman was supposed to depart for Australia via Hong Kong at 3pm on Wednesday. Altogether seven out of 340 cartons had amphetamine in the cargo of the aircraft. The drugs were in courier packets.
Upon receiving news of the seizure, a team of Dhaka Customs House conducted a drive in the cargo of the flight, said DC Maruful Islam.
“Initially, we found that at least three export traders were involved in the matter. We are trying to find out the real owner to check export approval papers and other relevant documents.”
The drugs were inside a consignment of garment items to be exported by a company named Neptune Freight. In the morning, officials of the Narcotics Control Department came and took the items into their custody, said Airport Director Group Captain AHM Touhid Ul Ahsan.
The airport authorities detained six men in this connection. They would be handed over to law enforcement officials after consultations with the customs and narcotics department, he added.
Amphetamine is a recreational drug with high affinity for addiction, said Dr Mojibur Rahman, head of medicine at Dhaka Medical College.
