Five smugglers held in capital with 11kg gold

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) on Tuesday night arrested five suspected members of an international gold smuggling gang, along with around 11 kg of gold from Gabtoli area in the capital.

The arrestees are Rejaul, 35; Md Olier, 50; Md Waliur Rahman, 30; Ohidul Islam, 34; and Md Billal Hossain, 35.

Briefing reporters at Rab's Karwan Bazar media centre yesterday, Commanding Officer of Rab-2 Lt Col Anwaruzzaman said the smugglers were arrested from a Jessore-bound bus of "Eagle Paribahan" at Gabtoli bus terminal around 9:30pm.

They also recovered 96 gold bars worth around 4.5 crore from their possession.

During preliminary interrogation, the arrestees revealed that they usually collect gold bars from Old Dhaka and then go to Jessore concealing those in shoes, said Anwaruzzaman, adding that the gold bars were being smuggled to India.

The arrestees also revealed that they usually carry gold consignments from Dhaka to Benapole eight times in a month and for this, they are given Tk 7,000 each time, he added.