9.3kg of gold found in shoes of 2 airline crew members

The seized gold is estimated to be worth around Tk 16.25 crore at current market prices, according to the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID).

Acting on a tip-off, CIID officials took up positions at the airport and monitored the movements of passengers and airline personnel. The two crew members were stopped for questioning after their suspicious activities on the runway following the arrival of Emirates flight EK0582 from Dubai.

A search of their shoes led to the discovery of the gold bars, which had been concealed inside the footwear using a specially devised method.

The 80 bars each weighed approximately 117 grams, bringing the total weight of the recovered gold to around 9.34kg.

Customs intelligence officials said concealing gold bars inside shoes appeared to be an unusual method of smuggling. Investigators are now looking into where the gold was sourced from, who was supposed to receive it in Dhaka and who else may have been involved.

Officials suspect that an organised smuggling network may have used the airline crew members to transport the gold into the country.

The authorities are questioning the individuals involved to determine whether others were connected to the shipment. Legal proceedings against those involved are also underway, according to officials.