The Customs Intelligence and Investigation Department (CIID) has seized a luxury BMW car in Chattogram on allegations of false declaration, forgery of documents and evasion of customs duties.
A CIID team from its Chattogram Regional Office conducted a raid at Sattar Manzil (BTI Bhaban), located at 33 Kabi Abdus Sattar Road in the city’s Rahmatganj area, at around 12:50pm on Thursday. The BMW, bearing registration number Metro-G-11-3651, was seized during the operation.
According to a press release signed by CIID Additional Director General Rezvi Ahmed, the operation followed the discovery of an alleged scheme to import entire luxury vehicles in Semi Knocked Down (SKD) condition through Mongla Port by declaring them as used automobile parts.
Under the scheme, a complete luxury vehicle was reportedly cut into three or four large sections before being imported under the guise of used car parts, allegedly to evade customs duties.
Acting on the information, the Chattogram regional office launched the operation to trace vehicles suspected of being imported through the scheme.
During the raid, the current owner of the BMW, Mohammad Ayub, was reportedly abroad. His wife, Sultana Farhana Jahan, was asked to produce documents relating to the purchase and import of the vehicle but failed to provide them, according to the CIID.
The CIID team subsequently asked for the vehicle’s keys several times, but the keys were not handed over. In the absence of valid ownership and import documents and amid a failure to provide satisfactory information, the team led by the CIID Additional Director General seized the vehicle.
The CIID said its preliminary investigation found indications that the BMW had been imported through customs duty evasion, false declaration and forged documentation.
A detailed investigation by the Chattogram Regional Office of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Department is now underway to determine the circumstances surrounding the vehicle’s importation and identify those involved.
