Container full of smuggled cigarettes seized at Chattogram port 

Chattogram Customs House and Customs Intelligence officials have seized a container full of smuggled in cigarettes Chattogram port. 

On Thursday, customs authorities acted on an anonymous tip to seize the illegal shipment brought in by Hop-Yick (Bangladesh) Limited, an importer from Savar.

According to port authorities, Hop-Yick illegally brought in the cigarettes illegally under the guise of importing RMG raw materials from China.

The Customs house is currently looking into the number of cigarette packets in the consignment and the total value of import duties evaded via this shipment.

Chandu Corporation, a clearing and forwarding (C&F) agent from Chattogram, was in charge of unloading the consignment.

Assistant Commissioner at the Audit Investigation and Research (AIR) Unit of Chattogram Custom House, Rezaul Karim told the Business Standard that Hop-Yick (Bangladesh) Limited had imported 18.5 metric tonnes of goods from China in a bid to import RMG raw materials.

On November 3, C&F agent Chandu Corporation filed a bill of entry at Chittagong Customs House to unload the consignment.

The Customs House AIR team and Customs Intelligence officials acted on an anonymous tip to seize the container.

Work is underway to file a case at the police station in this regard; meanwhile, the customs authorities are trying to find the culprits behind the incident.

When asked about the incident, Tanjir Ahmed, son of Haji Chandu Miah, proprietor of C&F agent Chandu Corporation, said, "According to the information provided by the importer, we submitted the bill of entry to the customs house. We did not know what products had come in via the consignment."

Multiple attempts were made to contact the importer, Hop-Yick (Bangladesh) Limited, for a statement about the incident. However, they were unreachable over phone and have not yet responded.