107kg gold haul in Ctg

The gold bars seized from a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong yesterday. Photo: Star

Customs officials seized 107 kilograms of gold worth over Tk 46 crore at Shah Amanat International Airport here yesterday, making it the biggest ever haul of gold in the port city.
Seven people were arrested and three detained for their alleged involvement in smuggling the consignment of gold in 923 bars, said Md Mosear Rahman, assistant commissioner of airport customs.
The 10 were passengers of the Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight BG-026 from Dubai that landed at Chittagong airport around 11:00am.
The arrestees are Shafique Islam of Mymensingh, Mansur Islam of Munshiganj, Md Nahid Talukdar and Md Moinuddin of Raozan in Chittagong, Md Piarul Islam and Imtiaz Khan of Fatikchhari in Chittagong and Md Yakub of Chittagong city.

Persons detained in connection with the smuggling. Photo: Star

Three passengers -- Rahim Sikdar, Md Faisal and Hasan Mahmud -- were detained for interrogation.
As part of their regular drive, airport customs officials boarded the Biman aircraft to conduct a search before any passenger had left, said Mosear.

At one stage, the officials found the gold bars, each weighing 10 tolas, in polythene bags stashed under the seats of the detainees and some unoccupied seats.
The arrestees during primary interrogation confessed to involvement in smuggling gold, mentioned the customs official.
The 10 were handed over to Patenga Police Station for further interrogation. A case was filed with the police station in this connection, while another was recorded with the customs.
Earlier on February 6, gold bars weighing 49 kg were seized at this airport.