Four intelligence wings under National Board of Revenue (NBR) have seized 2,357 litres of unauthorised foreign liquor and beer during a midnight raid on Kingfisher Restaurant Ltd in Gulshan, Dhaka.
The three-hour joint operation was carried out in the early hours of 26 October 2023 under the supervision of Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID), alongside officials from Tax Intelligence and Investigation Unit (TIIU), the VAT Audit, Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (VAIID), and Central Intelligence Cell (CIC).
The Special Response Battalion (SRB-1) provided security support throughout the drive.
Acting on confidential intelligence regarding duty and tax evasion, the raiding team inspected the premises and uncovered a secret room containing a large cache of liquor and beer not recorded in the establishment’s registers.
The seized stock comprises 826 litres of foreign liquor and 1,531 litres of domestic and imported beer, carrying an estimated duty-inclusive value of over Tk4.02 crore.
Revenue officials said the restaurant is not registered as an importer and failed to present valid legal documentation or purchase challans for the foreign beverages, as well as for several local items.
Authorities mentioned that the drive was launched to detect smuggled stocks, prevent domestic VAT and duty evasion, and inspect whether proceeds were properly declared for income tax or linked to money laundering.
Legal proceedings against the establishment are underway.
