Customs seize Tk5.53cr worth of foreign cigarettes, iPhones at Ctg airport
Customs officials launched a special surveillance operation following a tip-off from the CIID director general.
Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID) has seized 1,802 cartons of foreign cigarettes and 13 iPhones worth around Tk5.53 crore, including applicable duties and taxes, from passengers and unclaimed baggage on a Dubai flight at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram.
The seizure was made at around 8:18am today (17 August), after Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight BG148 from Dubai landed at the airport.
Acting on a tip-off from the CIID director general, customs officials mounted a special surveillance operation targeting passengers and their baggage.
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During the operation, officials searched several passengers and recovered cigarettes and iPhones.
From passenger MD Moinul Abdin, customs officials recovered 264 cartons of cigarettes- 249 cartons of Platinum cigarettes and 15 cartons of Mond cigarettes along with four iPhones.
Another passenger, Abdul Mannan, was found carrying 246 cartons of cigarettes, including 233 cartons of Platinum cigarettes and 13 cartons of Mond cigarettes and four iPhones.
Nurul Alam Riyad was carrying 272 cartons of cigarettes, comprising 265 cartons of Platinum cigarettes and seven cartons of Eassy cigarettes, along with five iPhones.
In addition, customs officials recovered 1,020 cartons of Platinum cigarettes from an unclaimed baggage found at baggage belt No 2.
The baggage was believed to have arrived on the same flight.
In total, the operation resulted in the seizure of 1,802 cartons of foreign cigarettes and 13 iPhones.
The market value of the cigarettes has been estimated at Tk74.08 lakh.
With duties and taxes calculated at a total tax incidence (TTI) of 621%, the cigarettes carry applicable revenue of around Tk4.60 crore, while the 13 iPhones have an estimated market value of Tk12.35 lakh and duties and taxes of around Tk7.23 lakh at a 58% TTI, bringing the total value of the seized goods, including duties and taxes, to approximately Tk5.53 crore.
CIID officials said surveillance and anti-smuggling operations at international airports will be further intensified to protect government revenue and prevent organised smuggling syndicates from exploiting aviation channels.
