Customs seize 17.5 tonnes of misdeclared goods at Chattogram Port
The Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID) also found 9.26 tonnes of suspicious scrap paper in a consignment declared as printed paper catalogues, according to a press release issued by the National Board of Revenue (NBR) today (28 September).
Customs officials have seized around 17.5 tonnes of goods, including 8.25 tonnes of tobacco or tobacco-like materials and suspicious coloured powder, from two consignments at Chattogram Port after finding major discrepancies between the declared and actual contents.
The Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID) also found 9.26 tonnes of suspicious scrap paper in a consignment declared as printed paper catalogues, according to a press release issued by the National Board of Revenue (NBR) today (28 September).
The consignments were imported under the name of Authoy Enterprise.
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The proprietor told customs authorities in writing that neither he nor his company had any knowledge of or involvement in the imports.
He suspected that an unscrupulous group had used his company's name and import-related information to bring in the consignments.
The shipment arrived at Chattogram port aboard MV UDDIPON EXPRESS from Kolkata under Manifest No 4524/2026 and Voyage No 011. The vessel left Kolkata on 20 September and reached Chattogram on 22 September.
The goods were covered by two House Bills of Lading under the same Master B/L No. 301174347.
Under the first House B/L, ISLCCU2627CGP095, the goods were declared as "PAN MASALA AND ZARDA (CHEWING TOBACCO PRODUCT)". The documents showed 473 packages with a gross weight of 8,974kg.
During a physical examination yesterday (27 September), customs officials found 8,250.4kg of tobacco or tobacco-like material in 470 packages.
The seized material included 7,325.4kg of dark brown items in 421 packages, 527kg of brown material in 31 packages, 273kg of grey material in 13 packages and 125kg of white material in five packages.
Some of the recovered materials appeared to be powdery substances of different colours resembling narcotics, the CIID said.
Customs authorities said the substances could not be conclusively identified as narcotics or other prohibited or controlled materials without chemical and laboratory testing.
Samples will be tested to determine their actual composition, according to the release.
Under the second House B/L, ISLCCU2627CGP096, the goods were declared as "PRINTED PAPER CATALOGUE". The documents showed 1,570 packages weighing 9,859.60kg.
Physical examination found the same number of packages containing what customs officials described as suspicious scrap paper, weighing 9,263kg.
The discrepancy between the declared goods and actual contents is now part of the investigation.
Together, the two consignments contained 2,040 packages weighing 17,513.4kg, or about 17.51 tonnes.
Of the total, around 8.25 tonnes consisted of tobacco or tobacco-like materials and suspicious powdery substances, while around 9.26 tonnes consisted of scrap paper.
Authorities are investigating the shipment to identify the actual parties involved and determine whether any offences were committed
The use of Authoy Enterprise's identity as the importer or consignee is also under investigation.
