CIID seizes Tk 3.73cr gold at HSIA 

A driver fled after customs officials stopped a suspicious vehicle near Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) on Monday and seized more than 1.8 kilograms of gold hidden inside, officials said.

The seized gold, valued at about Tk 3.73 crore, comprised 14 gold bars and 12 gold sheets. Officials from the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Department (CIID) recovered the gold after searching the vehicle following a tip-off about suspicious activity near a roundabout outside the HSIA area.

The driver, identified as Md Shamim Mia, abandoned the vehicle and fled as customs officials moved in, according to the CIID.

The gold weighed 1,812 grams and was confirmed to be 24-carat after being tested at Customs House Dhaka.

But the gold was not the only item recovered from the vehicle.

A subsequent search turned up Tk 107,585 in cash, one new mobile phone and two used phones, a laptop, eight debit and credit cards issued by different banks, two driving licences and a national identity card.

CIID officials have since completed an inventory of the seized gold at the Customs Hall. The recovery has prompted a broader investigation into the movement of the gold, including where it came from, where it was headed and who else may have been involved.

The CIID said it was working to identify the people connected to the shipment and determine the circumstances surrounding the vehicle.

It also said a case was being prepared at Airport Police Station against those responsible. However, police said on Monday that no case had been formally filed.

Airport Police Chief Kamrul Hasan Talukder told the Daily Observer that details about the accused would be available once a case was filed.