Police on Tuesday seized 93,616 litres of edible oils, estimated to be worth Tk1.22 crore, stockpiled in several warehouses and shops at Baneshwar Bazar in Puthia upazila of Rajshahi.
Five people, including a truck driver, were detained in connection with the illegal oil storing during the raid that lasted from noon to 8pm. The truck was also seized.
According to the police, none of the detainees are distributors. They also failed to produce any valid documents regarding oil storage.
Police seized 24,684 litres of soybean oil kept in 121 barrels and 67,932 litres of palm oil in 333 barrels.
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Dhaka TribuneAdditional Superintendent of Police Iftekhaer Alam said: “Four warehouses have been sealed off where drums containing soybean and mustard oil were found. Their owners are being questioned. At the same time, their documents are being checked and sorted.”
Meanwhile, the Directorate of National Consumers' Right Protection fined three Rajshahi traders Tk75,000 for illegally stockpiling and selling oil at prices higher than the stipulated ones.
Apurba Adhikari, deputy director of the Rajshahi divisional office of the directorate, and Hasan Al Maruf, assistant director of the directorate, conducted the operation in the city.
Earlier on Monday night, police raided two warehouses at Taherpur Bazar in Rajshahi's Bagmara upazila and seized about 26,000 litres of edible oils.
Oil trader Shahidul Islam Swapan, 40, was detained at the time while his elder brother Rafiqul Islam managed to flee the area.
