2 held in Cox's Bazar with 31 bhori of 'smuggled gold from Saudi'
Four mobile phones, Tk5,742 in cash, 10 Saudi riyals and three Saudi-issued ATM cards were also seized
Coast Guard personnel have detained two alleged members of a smuggling ring with 31 bhori of gold jewellery worth around Tk75 lakh in Cox's Bazar after they allegedly brought the gold from Saudi Arabia while evading customs duties.
Four mobile phones, Tk5,742 in cash, 10 Saudi riyals and three Saudi-issued ATM cards were also seized from them, said Lieutenant Commander Arafat Hossain, operations officer of the Coast Guard, at a press briefing at the Coast Guard's Cox's Bazar station office today (23 August).
The detainees are Md Azim, 33, son of Md Belal, and Md Faruk, 28, son of the late Lal Mohammad. Both are from Ghonarpara area in Ward 9 of Chauphaladandi union under Cox's Bazar Sadar upazila.
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According to Arafat, the Coast Guard received information yesterday (22 August) that a group was bringing a consignment of gold into the country through Cox's Bazar Airport without paying customs duties.
Following the information, a Coast Guard team increased surveillance around the airport. Later, the team spotted a motorcycle in the New Fishery Ghat area of Cox's Bazar town and signalled its riders to stop.
The riders allegedly tried to flee after noticing the Coast Guard personnel. The team chased the motorcycle, seized it and detained the two men.
A search of a bag they were carrying recovered the gold jewellery, along with the mobile phones, cash, Saudi riyals and ATM cards.
During initial questioning, the detainees told the Coast Guard that they had brought the gold from Saudi Arabia, Arafat said.
A case against the two men under the relevant laws is being prepared with Cox's Bazar Sadar Police Station, he added.
