Coast Guard seizes jet fuel, diesel, soybean oil in Patenga raids

The Bangladesh Coast Guard seized a large quantity of smuggled jet fuel, diesel, octane, and soybean oil in two separate raids in the Patenga area of Chattogram between last night and early today (19 May).

According to a Coast Guard press release issued this afternoon, acting on confidential information, teams from the Patenga Coast Guard outpost conducted the drives.

The first operation was carried out around 11pm yesterday near VIP Road under Patenga Police Station, targeting a hidden storage facility used for illegal fuel trading.

During the operation, officials seized approximately 7,000 litres of jet fuel, 6,000 litres of diesel, and 1,500 litres of octane, with a total estimated value of Tk23.35 lakh. A truck used for transporting the fuel was also confiscated.

In the second operation, conducted around 1am today near the Akmal Ali Sluice Gate under the EPZ Police Station, Coast Guard personnel seized around 5,000 litres of soybean oil worth nearly Tk9 lakh.

According to the Coast Guard, the edible oil had been illegally unloaded from a ship for unauthorised marketing.

No arrests were made during either operation as the smugglers managed to flee the scene after sensing the presence of the law enforcement team.

The Coast Guard added that intelligence surveillance has been intensified to identify and arrest those involved in the smuggling operations, adding that joint drives with other law enforcement agencies would be conducted if necessary.

Legal procedures regarding the seized fuel, edible oil and truck are currently underway, the statement added.

Lieutenant Commander Sabbir Alam Suzan said the Coast Guard would continue such operations to prevent smuggling and illegal stockpiling in coastal areas.

Legal procedures regarding the seized goods and the truck are currently underway.

Lieutenant Commander Sabbir Alam Suzan said the Coast Guard would continue such operations to curb smuggling and illegal stockpiling in coastal areas.