New tactics for smuggling gold!

Gold smugglers have come up with a new strategy to bring gold into the country.  In the name of importing garment accessories, a group of smugglers are now hiding gold inside the cartons taking the advantage of tax-free bond enjoyed by the garments industry.

Customs Intelligence of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport found 43 kilogrammes of gold from three cartons of garments accessories yesterday around 4am. No one was arrested in this regard.

The cartons that came from Singapore by a flight of Singapore Airlines were marked for delivery to a ready-made garment factory in Chittagong. 

On secret information, officers of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Department seized the cartons from the airport apron  behind the cargo house.

Later, after scanning, 43 kgs of gold worth Tk22 crores were found in the cartons. The gold bars were concealed with a wrapping of plastic buttons and zippers used for garments.

Director General of Customs Intelligence department Moinul Khan said: “We were informed that a group was smuggling gold in the name of importing garment accessories. After our raid, we found out that the cartons were destined for Unitek Apparels Limited situated in Chittagong Karnaphuli EPZ. The gold bars were bought from a Singapore organisation named PARCO. The three cartons were booked in from the Singapore airport.” Officials got the information from the documents attached with the cartons.

This incident of gold smuggling is different not only in terms of tactics but also because of the fact that no one was arrested in this connection. In most of the previous cases, customs intelligence officers were able to detain the smuggler.

“We are preparing to file a case,” Moinul Khan said adding that a total of 710 kgs of gold were recovered in the last 17 months and 90 cases so far were filed.