Special Correspondent – A joint task force on Thursday morning busted a major gold smuggling ring at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, seizing 160 gold bars hidden inside the cargo hold of a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight arriving from Dubai.
Despite the massive recovery, valued at an estimated Tk 45 crore, the perpetrators managed to evade immediate arrest.
The intelligence-led operation was jointly conducted by the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID), Dhaka Customs House, and an national intelligence agency.
Mid-Morning Raid Yields Massive Haul
According to customs sources, Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight BG-148, originating from Dubai, landed at Dhaka via Chittagong around 10:30 AM on Thursday. Acting on a precise tip-off, the joint security team immediately cordoned off the aircraft upon arrival.
During an intensive search of the plane’s cargo hold—the dedicated compartment for checked baggage and freight—officers discovered the 160 gold bars meticulously concealed within the structural cavity. Officials stated that the total weight of the confiscated gold bars stands at approximately 19 kilograms.
No Arrests as Syndicate Remains Untraced
While the financial blow to the smuggling syndicate is substantial, law enforcement agencies are facing significant challenges in tracking down the masterminds or the ground handlers involved in the operation.
Confirming the recovery, Additional Commissioner of Customs Kamrul Hassan stated that efforts are fully underway to determine accountability.
“A total of 160 gold bars were seized from the cargo hold of the aircraft arriving from Dubai,” said Kamrul Hassan, Additional Commissioner of Customs. “An active investigation is ongoing to identify and apprehend the actual carriers or anyone associated with this major illegal shipment.”
Customs and intelligence officials are closely examining airport security logs, flight manifests, and ground-handling rosters.
Investigators suspect that an organized international smuggling syndicate, potentially operating with local facilitation at either the departure or arrival points, orchestrated the shipment.
The incident underscores the persistent challenge of gold smuggling through key aviation routes connecting the Middle East to Bangladesh.
Although the prompt intervention of the joint task force successfully intercepted a massive cache of contraband, the fact that no suspects have been detained highlights the sophisticated, insulated nature of these illicit networks.
Authorities have vowed to continue their investigation until those responsible are brought to justice.