Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID) officials have seized foreign cigarettes, banned beauty creams and imported liquor worth around Tk1.78 crore, including duties and taxes, in three separate raids at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.
The raids, conducted on 11 and 17 August (Monday) based on intelligence information, resulted in the seizure of 349 cartons of foreign cigarettes, 380kg of banned beauty creams and 1 litre of foreign liquor, CIID said in an NBR statement on Monday.
The seized goods had an assessable and market value of Tk90.16 lakh, with applicable duties and taxes amounting to Tk87.90 lakh, the agency said.
In the first operation on Monday, a team of CIID’s searched passengers arriving on Emirates flights EK582 and EK586 from Dubai and seized 170 cartons of foreign cigarettes, 9kg of banned beauty creams and 1 litre of foreign liquor from three passengers.
The cigarettes had an assessable value of Tk6.80 lakh, with duties and taxes of Tk42.22 lakh. The liquor was valued at Tk20,000, with applicable duties and taxes of Tk1.22 lakh, while the banned creams had a market value of Tk1.80 lakh.
The total value of goods seized in the operation stood at Tk52.24 lakh, including duties and taxes.
Earlier on 11 August, CIID officials conducted a raid on Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight BG148 arriving from Dubai and seized 179 cartons of foreign cigarettes and 52kg of banned beauty creams from passengers.
The cigarettes had an assessable value of Tk7.16 lakh, while the applicable duties and taxes stood at Tk44.46 lakh. The banned creams had an assessable value of Tk10.40 lakh. The total value of the seized goods, including duties and taxes, was Tk62.02 lakh.
In another operation on Monday, CIID officials at the airport’s Foreign Post Office intercepted a large consignment containing 319kg of banned beauty creams. The consignment alone had an estimated market value of Tk63.80 lakh.
CIID said it is continuing intelligence-led surveillance and risk-based operations at passenger and cargo channels to prevent smuggling and protect government revenue. Legal action, including filing of a case, is underway over the Foreign Post Office seizure.
