Airport Armed Police Battalion (APBN) arrested a man at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) on Thursday after he was found carrying nearly 500 grams of gold ornaments and a significant amount of foreign currency.
The arrestee, identified as Mofidul Islam, 43, from Labanchara in Khulna, was caught around 12:50pm in the open car parking area of Canopy-2 as he tried to flee upon spotting police. He had arrived from Saudi Arabia on flight SV808 at 10:50am, travelling as a Mu’allim (religious guide) for an Umrah Hajj group.
A search of his bag at the APBN 13 office recovered 499.1 grams of 21-carat gold, $9,000 US dollars, 8,501 Saudi riyals, 1,800 Egyptian pounds, 150 Romanian leu, and Tk80,117 from the suspect.
The confiscated gold ornaments, 21-carat in purity, have an estimated market value of almost Tk84 lakh.
During interrogation, Mofidul admitted that the gold was illegally brought into Bangladesh through unnamed passengers, evading customs duties. He has reportedly long been involved as a receiver in a gold smuggling syndicate operating at the airport.
A case has been filed against him under Section 25B(1)(b) of the Special Powers Act, 1974 at Airport Police Station for conspiring with unnamed passengers to smuggle gold and evade revenue.
Airport APBN Superintendent Mohammad Rezaul Kabir said APBN continues to play an active role in preventing smuggling and other crimes at the airport. We remain committed to curbing gold and drug smuggling and will continue our vigilance against illegal activities using the airport.
