3 held with gold worth over Tk 82 lakh at Dhaka Airport

The estimated market value of the gold seized from the first two incidents is Tk 82.31 lakh, with additional value yet to be confirmed for the third seizure of 199 grams.

On Sunday at 9:20 am, Md. Saleh Faisal, 27, was detained with 293.50 grams of gold ornaments near the roundabout between the departure and arrival terminals.

The seized gold is estimated to be worth Tk 36,10,050.

Later the same day, at 1:45 pm, Monirul Islam, 34, was detained near the media corner of Arrival Terminal No. 2.

Police recovered 395 grams of gold ornaments from his possession, valued at Tk 46,21,500.

Two separate cases have been filed at Dhaka International Airport Police Station in connection with the incidents.

Earlier in the morning, at 10:20 am, law enforcers detained Masum Rana, 32, at Arrival Terminal No. 2 with 199 grams of gold ornaments.

He was later sent to the Executive Magistrate Court at the airport for legal proceedings.

During preliminary interrogation, the detainees admitted to smuggling the gold into the country by evading customs, using unidentified incoming passengers.

All three have long-standing ties to a gold smuggling syndicate and were acting as receivers.

Police Superintendent Mohammad Mozammel Haque, Operational Commander of the Airport Armed Police Battalion (APBn-13), said, the Airport Armed Police is very vigilant in preventing smuggling and suppressing other crimes in the airport area, reports UNB. 

“We are in a strong position as always to prevent gold smuggling activities,” he added.