CIID seizes goods worth Tk3.23cr at two airports

The Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID) has seized gold, liquor, cosmetic injectables, prohibited skin-whitening cream and used laptops worth an estimated Tk3.23 crore in four separate drives at Dhaka and Chattogram international airports and Dhaka airport’s Foreign Post Office on October 15 and 16.

The seized goods included a 117-gram gold bar, 30 litres of liquor, 155 dermal fillers and skin booster injections, 1,104 kilograms of prohibited Gouri skin-whitening cream and 23 used Core i5 laptops, according to a press release issued by the National Board of Revenue (NBR) today.

The total estimated market value of the seized items was Tk3,22,87,000, the release said.

On October 15, customs intelligence officials recovered a 117-gram gold bar from passenger Abdullah Al Noman at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram.

Acting on a tip-off, officials placed him under surveillance at the green channel around 7:45am after he arrived from Dubai on Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight BG148.

Although the passenger declared 100 grams of gold jewellery, he denied carrying a gold bar during questioning. Officials later recovered the bar through a body search at the customs hall in the presence of representatives from other agencies.

The estimated value of the gold, including applicable customs duties and taxes, was Tk21.06 lakh.

On the same day, officials seized 30 litres of liquor at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. They recovered 16 litres from the baggage of a passenger arriving from Mumbai on Air India flight AI2183 around 11am. Another 7.5 litres were found abandoned in an airport toilet, while 6.5 litres were seized from two other passengers.

The liquor was valued at an estimated Tk6 lakh.

On October 16, customs intelligence officials seized 155 dermal fillers and skin booster injections from the baggage of Md Rakib Hossain, who arrived from Colombo on SriLankan Airlines flight UL189.

After scanning and examining the suspicious baggage around 11:13am, officials recovered four types of injectable products totalling 161 millilitres, the release said.

The consignment comprised 55 Restylane Lidocaine injections (1ml each), 54 Restylane Lyft Lidocaine injections (1ml each), 40 Juvederm Voluma with Lidocaine injections (1ml each) and six Profhilo injections (2ml each).

The products had an estimated market value of Tk57.76 lakh.

The directorate said it was examining the regulatory approvals and legality of the imports. Such products require verification of their registration, quality, storage conditions and authorised use, as improper administration without qualified medical supervision can cause serious complications.

In a separate operation at Dhaka airport’s Foreign Post Office on October 16, officials seized 37 cartons containing 1,104 kilograms of prohibited Gouri skin-whitening cream, along with 23 used Core i5 laptops.

The combined estimated market value of the seized goods was Tk2.38 crore, according to the release.

The CIID warned that unauthorised skin-whitening products could pose health risks if they contain harmful substances such as mercury, unauthorised steroids or other hazardous chemicals. However, laboratory tests would be needed to determine whether the seized cream contained any such substances.

The directorate also said the unauthorised import of used electronic products could expose consumers to risks involving quality, performance, safety and after-sales service, while creating unfair competition for legitimate businesses.

The CIID said it would continue surveillance and enforcement operations at international airports, seaports, land ports and other customs stations across the country to prevent smuggling, revenue evasion and the import of unauthorised or prohibited goods.

The operations are being conducted under the guidance of the NBR, the release added.