Smuggled Cigarettes Worth Millions Seized at Chattogram Airport

A significant consignment of contraband foreign cigarettes has been intercepted and seized during a coordinated joint operation at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram. Security forces recovered a total of 1,698 cartons of foreign-branded cigarettes from three incoming passengers and an unclaimed baggage belt. The seized items carry an estimated government revenue value of approximately BDT 33,96,000 (nearly BDT 34 lakh).

The anti-smuggling operation was executed on Sunday night (31 May) near Gate 3 of the international arrival hall. The raid was jointly conducted by several state intelligence and law enforcement units, including the National Security Intelligence (NSI), the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate, Aviation Security (Avsec), and the airport customs wing.

According to airport sources, the operation targeted Air Arabia flight G9-520, arriving from Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Following a thorough inspection of the baggage belonging to three suspected passengers on the flight, officials uncovered 1,002 cartons of foreign cigarettes. Concurrently, an intensive sweep of the arrival hall’s luggage belt resulted in the discovery of an additional 696 cartons of abandoned cigarettes, for which no ownership could be established. The entire haul of 1,698 cartons comprised prominent international cigarette brands, specifically ‘Mond’ and ‘Manchester’.

The three passengers implicated in the illicit transportation of the tobacco products were detained at the scene. They have been identified as Md. Mostafa Kamal Suman, a resident of Ramganj under Lakshmipur district; Mohammad Abdullah Talukdar, from Hathazari under Chattogram district; and Mohammad Nasir Uddin Talukdar, from Rangunia under Chattogram district.

Providing official details on the development, the Public Relations Officer of Shah Amanat International Airport, Engineer Mohammad Ibrahim Khalil, stated that the contraband merchandise was formally confiscated under a Departmental Memoranda (DM). The entire shipment has since been transferred to the secure custody of the Chittogram Custom House for further legal processing. Following an interrogation by the customs authorities, the three detained passengers were released after receiving formal verbal warnings from the airport customs and customs intelligence wings.

The Public Relations Officer further emphasised that the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), airport customs, customs intelligence, and various national security agencies maintain the highest level of vigilance. This stringent surveillance remains ongoing to effectively deter the entry of prohibited import goods and prevent any evasion of state revenue.

A detailed summary of the joint operation and the subsequent seizures is presented in the table below: