Indian national held with gold at Chattogram airport

Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID) has detained an Indian national with gold at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram.

The passenger arrived in Chattogram on Saturday (August 1) morning on Air Arabia flight 'G9-526' from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.

The detained individual has been identified as Thamim Ansari. According to his passport, his home is in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

Customs intelligence sources said after the flight landed at 6:58am, a team of CIID identified Thamim Ansari as he was passing through the green channel. A body search revealed capsule-shaped gold items cleverly concealed inside his underwear.

The total weight of the seized items, including packaging materials, was 455 grams. Officials said the process of determining the exact quantity and purity of the gold after removing packaging materials is underway with the assistance of a goldsmith. The estimated market value of the seized gold is approximately Tk 1 crore.

Shah Amanat International Airport Public Relations Officer Engineer Ibrahim Khalil said legal action is being taken against the detained passenger under customs laws. A criminal case is also being prepared against him.

Earlier on July 31, Customs Intelligence conducted a special operation at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and seized foreign cigarettes, gold ornaments, banned Gouri cream and foreign liquor worth approximately Tk 2.04 crore.