Coast Guard intercepts trawlers smuggling goods to Myanmar
The Bangladesh Coast Guard has foiled two separate smuggling attempts in St Martin's Island and Chattogram, arresting 15 smugglers and seizing goods worth several lakh taka.
Lieutenant Commander Siam-ul-Haq, Media Officer of the Coast Guard, confirmed the information on Tuesday afternoon (11 November 2025).
Acting on secret information, members of the Coast Guard ship CGS Shyamal Bangla conducted an operation around 4am on Tuesday in the sea area southeast of St Martin's Island. A suspicious fishing trawler was intercepted and searched, leading to the arrest of 13 smugglers and the seizure of 520 sacks of potatoes worth about Tk5.2 lakh, which were being illegally transported to Myanmar by evading customs and taxes.
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In another operation, conducted around 9pm on Monday (10 November), personnel from Coast Guard Base Chattogram searched a fishing boat in the Karnaphuli River near the new bridge area and arrested two smugglers. The seized goods included 220 bags of cement, 200 bricks, and 3,000kg of iron rods, valued at approximately Tk3.17 lakh, also being smuggled to Myanmar.
The Coast Guard said that legal action regarding the seized goods, vessels, and arrested individuals is currently underway.
Lieutenant Commander Siam-ul-Haq added that the Coast Guard will continue regular operations to curb drug trafficking and cross-border smuggling in coastal and maritime areas.
