Some gold traders in Ctg, Dhaka involved with smuggling racket

Several gold traders of Hazari Lane and New Market areas of Chattogram city, and Tanti Bazar in Dhaka are directly involved with a racket that smuggles gold from  Myanmar to India via Bangladesh.

The information came to light after two carriers involved in gold smuggling gave their confessional statement before a magistrate in a case filed with Karnaphuli Police Station recently.

Law enforcers seized a consignment of 9.5kg gold and arrested four persons at a police check post in Karnaphuli upazila on June 16 from a passenger bus coming from Cox's Bazar.

The four were bringing the gold consignment to Chattogram city from Teknaf of Cox's Bazar. Police later lodged a case with Karnaphuli Police Station on June 17.

Smuggled gold from Myanmar was initially kept hidden in the Riajuddin Bazar and New Market areas of Chattogram, before being transported to India through Dhaka's Tanti Bazar with the assistance of local gold traders.

The four accused are: Bashundhara Dhar, 34; Krishna Dhar, 40; Nayan Dhar alias Narayan, 38; and Tipu Dhar, alias Alok, 24. Among them, Tipu is a goldsmith in Cox's Bazar and the others are his family members.

Following their arrests, Tipu and Nayan named two gold traders, Bidhan and Krishna, in the Hazari Lane and New Market of Kotwali areas of the port city, who are members of the syndicate. The Detective Branch (port zone) of CMP is currently investigating the case.

Investigators said Rohingyas brought gold consignment from Myanmar and later handed it over to a local agent who then hired the four carriers to send it to the port city.

Several CMP officials seeking anonymity said smuggled gold from Myanmar was initially kept hidden in the Riajuddin Bazar and New Market areas of  Chattogram, before being transported to India through Dhaka's Tanti Bazar with the assistance of local gold traders.

The gold traders in Cox's Bazar and Chattogram used to work as mediators.

According to the confessional statements, Bappu Dhar, a gold trader from Cox's Bazar and a syndicate member, instructed the four arrestees to travel to Cox's Bazar and transport the gold bars.

They followed these instructions and were on their way to Chattogram to deliver the shipment to Bidhan and Krishna Karmakar, individuals they had previously worked with multiple times.

For their services, the carriers typically received cash amounts ranging from Tk 15,000 to Tk 20,000.

Meanwhile, the PBI wanted to take over the case, but CMP rejected the request, citing ongoing progress in the investigation. SI Robiul Islam of DB, the current IO, declined to comment on the matter.

Deputy Commissioner Mohammed Ali Hossen of DB (port zone) said, "We have cracked the case and uncovered valuable information. Our efforts are focused on arresting the two primary gold smugglers and identify the others involved."