Ctg custom seizes fabrics worth Tk 20 crore imported through forgery

Chattogram Custom House authority today seized 50 tonnes of fabrics worth Tk 20 crore reportedly imported forging fake seal and signature of Dhaka Customs Bond Commissionerate.

The importer Permess South East Asia Ltd, a sister concern of Newtex group, and Lira International, a Clearing and Forwarding (C&F) agent, has submitted fake documents to the customs house for getting duty free facility worth Tk 2.30 crore under the bonded warehouse facility.

Customs officials said that the facility gets only 100 per cent export-oriented companies and needs to provide a certificate from concerned bond offices before releasing imported goods from the port.

The company could not able to get the facility due to the company have no export for several years, they said.

Later, the customs house filed a case under sections 22(2) and 23(2) of the digital security act-2018 and the Custom act-1969 against importers and C&F agent with Bandar Police Station for evading worth Tk 2.30 crore of revenue.

The accused are Managing Director of Permess South East Asia Ltd Md Aftab Khan, Chairman of the company Evart Jan Beren Pass, Director Risat Khan, Proprietor of Lira International C&F agent Nasir Ullah and employee Riton Chowdhury.

Nazim Uddin, officer-in-charge (OC) of Bandar Police Station, told The Daily Star that Ripon Chowdhury has been arrested in this incident.

"We are trying to arrest the other four accused," he said adding that Ripon claimed that he submitted the fake certificates on the instructions of the importer.

Permess South East Asia Ltd General Manager (production) MD Kibria said, "The C&F agent submitted the fake documents to customs without our permission. We could not be able to collect the certificate from the bond office on time due to the covid-19 pandemic."

He also claimed that they had applied for a certificate from the bond office.

Contacted, Nasir Ullah could not be reached over the phone.