After the recent successful Apan Jewellers raids, the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Department is now planning to conduct drives against other gold traders in the country whose businesses run on smuggled gold.
The CIID has already acquired names of several gold smugglers and agents, and are investigating the allegations against them.
CIID Director General Dr Moinul Khan said: “We have specific allegations against some gold traders and our investigation team is gathering more information. We have also made a list of traders who run their businesses with smuggled gold.”
CIID sources said they have acquired names of 50 gold smuggling agents while investigating Apan Jewellers’ links to the smuggling racket. The customs intelligence has also issued a letter to the Department of Passport and Immigration, asking for details on 19 gold smugglers, the sources added.
According to the CIID, most of the smuggled gold bars and diamonds come from Singapore, Malaysia and Dubai.
Moinul said: “We will verify the allegations against the traders and investigate their trade documents.”
He said they have concrete information that some gold traders, apart from Apan Jewellers, run their businesses by smuggling gold into the country.
However, the CIID chief assured that no drive would be conducted without any concrete proof and no trader who runs their business legally will be harassed.
Meanwhile, a five-member body was formed to return Apan Jewellers’ customers their ornaments.
Moinul said that they have a list of 389 customers who ordered or booked ornaments from Apan Jewellers.
“We gave ornaments to 85 customers as per their order or booking and the rest will be given their jewellery within 10 days,” he added.
Thursday, April 25, 2024
