Two Biman aircraft seized in gold recovery incidents at Ctg airport

The Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID) seized an aircraft of Biman Bangladesh Airlines after 20 gold bars were seized from under a seat of a flight arriving from Dubai Thursday morning at Chattogram's Shah Amanat International Airport.

Earlier, customs officials seized another aircraft of Bangladesh Biman in connection with the seizure of 2.32 kilograms of gold bars at the airport.

The 20 gold bars were initially seized from a passenger named Atiya Samia in the morning. Later in the afternoon, the customs authorities seized the aircraft involved in the incident.

This is the first time an aircraft has been seized in connection with a gold recovery incident at Chattogram Airport.

However, the Chattogram airport authorities clarified that the detention does not restrict the aircraft's operations.

Md Minhaj Uddin, additional director general of the CIID, said, "The aircraft has been seized under customs law for carrying smuggled goods. However, for the sake of passenger transport, the adjudicating officer may release it under the custody of Biman Bangladesh Airlines if deemed appropriate."

In a press release, the customs intelligence said that the aircraft (Flight BG-148) is accused under the Customs Act, 2023, of transporting smuggled gold. Consequently, both the gold bars and the aircraft were seized.

The woman from whom the gold was seized works as a salesperson at a jewellery shop named "Ocean Gold and Diamond Jewellery" in the UAE. She also sells gold online, the press release adds.

In the other incident, the customs officials seized 2.32 kilograms of gold bars hidden under a seat of another aircraft in the morning.

Group Captain Sheikh Abdullah Al Mamgir, director of Shah Amanat International Airport, said that the aircraft departed Chattogram for Dhaka airport at 10:52am.

"The customs authorities have seized the aircraft on paper to bring it under accountability, but its passenger operations remain unaffected," he added.

Engineer Mohammad Ibrahim Khalil, public relations officer of Shah Amanat International Airport, said that the airport security branch, customs intelligence, and NSI jointly conducted the operation at about 9:30am.

The recovered gold bars have been handed over to customs for legal proceedings.

The market value of the gold bars is around Tk2.6 crore.