Four luxury cars worth an estimated Tk4.5 crore to Tk6.7 crore were imported through Mongla Port by disguising them as old automobile parts, according to the National Board of Revenue (NBR).
The fraud was uncovered by the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Department (CIID) of the NBR during a raid. The seized vehicles include a Range Rover Vogue, Lexus LX570, BMW 65i and Toyota Crown Athlete.
The NBR said in a press release on Thursday that the vehicles were identified using artificial intelligence (AI), technical assistance from the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) and expert teams from Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), followed by a 100 per cent physical examination.
According to the NBR, Crown Automobile Services of Gandaria, Dhaka, imported the consignment by declaring the goods as used automobile parts, including headlights, doors, suspension components, tail lights, rubber channels and steering wheels.
CIID found that the consignment contained complete vehicles cut into three or four large sections and imported in semi-knocked-down (SKD) condition.
The declared dutiable value of the consignment was only Tk9,93,547, far below the estimated market value of the vehicles.
The 2017 Range Rover Vogue, manufactured in the UK, has an estimated market value of Tk1.6 crore to Tk1.85 crore. The 2016 Lexus LX570, manufactured in Japan, is valued at Tk2 crore to Tk3.5 crore.
The 2010 BMW 65i, manufactured in Germany, is estimated at Tk60 lakh to Tk90 lakh, while the Toyota Crown Athlete, manufactured in Japan, is valued at Tk30 lakh to Tk40 lakh.
The combined estimated value of the four vehicles is between Tk4.5 crore and Tk6.7 crore.
Acting on intelligence, the Khulna Regional Office of CIID suspended the consignment in July. A physical examination on 19 July found that numbers, labels and stickers on different parts matched those of complete luxury vehicles.
The NBR said the importer allegedly used the method to evade duties applicable to luxury vehicles, with supplementary duty ranging from 30 per cent to 500 per cent depending on engine capacity.
Following customs procedures, Mongla Custom House will be recommended to take legal action against the importer, the NBR said.
