2 containers of foreign liquor seized in N'ganj
Customs authorities have seized two containers full of foreign of liquor from Narayanganj's Sonargaon that tried to evade Tk24.70 crore duty by forging import permits (IP).
Acting on a tip-off, Chattogram Customs House, with the help of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and intelligence agencies, seized two vehicles containing the consignments in the early hours of Friday, customs house sources said.
"31,625.5 litres of foreign liquor of different brands were found in 1,330 cartons. The taxable value of which is Tk4.46 crore. There has been an attempt to evade revenue of Tk24.70 crore by making false declarations in two challans," Deputy Commissioner of Chattogram Custom House (AIR) Md Saiful Haque said on Sunday (July 24).
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RAB detained three people including ring leader Abdul Ahad in connection with the shipment. Two other arrestees are Nazmul Mollah and Saiful Islam.
"This is the largest consignment of illegal foreign liquor in the country. The gang previously brought 14,000 bottles of foreign liquor in three shipments from Dubai. They supply alcohol to various clubs in the capital," said RAB's Legal and Media Wing Director Khandaker Al Moin during a briefing at the force's media centre in the capital's Karwan Bazar area.
RAB also seized foreign currency worth about Tk1 crore from their possession.
Write to Nylah Shah
After detaining the consignments that had left from Chattogram Port, customs authorities added the liquor to the inventory.
The consignments were released from Chittagong Port by using the names of two companies in Cumilla Export Processing Zone (EPZ) and Ishwardi EPZ.
Chattogram Customs House Deputy Commissioner (AIR) Saiful Haque said that a bill of entry was submitted to the Customs House on 20 July for the release of the consignment weighing 19,650 kilogrammes which came from China under declaration for textured yarn in the name of Hashy Tiger Company Limited of Cumilla EPZ.
On the same day, another bill of entry was submitted for clearance of a consignment weighing 20,750 kg brought from China in the name of BHK Textiles Limited in the Ishwardi EPZ under a declaration of roving machine bobbins.
C&F company Zafar Ahmed of Double Mooring, Chattogram was in charge of clearing the two consignments.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (BEPZA) has issued a protest note claiming that news involving BHK Textiles Limited of Ishwardi EPZ and Hashy Tiger Limited of Cumilla EPZ in the illegal shipment are false.
BEPZA said the gang used the names BHK Textiles Ltd of Ishwardi EPZ and Hashi Tiger Ltd of Cumilla EPZ to serve their purpose.
