Dhaka:Customs officials have seized three oval-shaped gold paste pieces, weighing a total of 1.29 kilograms, from a passenger at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) who had arrived from Sharjah.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Preventive Team of Dhaka Customs House, acting on a tip-off about potential gold smuggling, conducted surveillance at various points of the airport starting around 6:30 am.
The team intercepted Arman Uddin Siddique, carrying passport No. A12028533, after he completed immigration procedures and reached Baggage Belt-02. A search revealed the gold pieces, each weighing approximately 430 grams, concealed in his rectum and wrapped in white adhesive tape, as stated in a press release by NBR.
The gold paste seized is of 24-carat purity. A goldsmith's evaluation indicated that refining could yield around 1 kilogram of pure gold. The customs authorities have estimated the market value of the seized gold at approximately Tk 1.74 crore.
The Preventive Team of Dhaka Customs House is currently proceeding with legal action to file a criminal case against the passenger.