Illicit Cigarette Consignment Seized at Chattogram Airport

Customs officials at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram successfully intercepted a substantial haul of import-restricted cigarettes on Wednesday evening. The operation, which took place at approximately 9:45 PM, led to the confiscation of 1,340 cartons of cigarettes arriving from the United Arab Emirates. The total market value of the seized goods is estimated to be around 3 million BDT.

The crackdown focused on passengers arriving from Dubai. During a routine baggage scan, officials discovered 200 cartons hidden within the luggage of a passenger identified as Minhajul Karim. A second passenger, Minhajul Islam, was found to be carrying 350 cartons in his belongings. In addition to these personal seizures, customs officers recovered an additional 690 cartons that had been abandoned within the terminal area, likely discarded by other smugglers fearing detection.

Breakdown of the Confiscated Contraband

The combined seizure represents a massive quantity of tobacco products that bypassed legal import channels.

According to the prevailing Baggage Rules in Bangladesh, an individual passenger is permitted to bring only a single carton (containing 200 sticks) of cigarettes into the country duty-free. Any amount exceeding this limit is strictly prohibited for personal travellers. Furthermore, under the National Import Policy Order, cigarettes are classified as “conditional import items.” For any consignment to be legal, the packaging must explicitly feature the statutory health warning: “Smoking is harmful to health” printed in Bengali.

The intercepted cartons lacked these mandatory markings and significantly exceeded the permissible limits, categorising the incident as a clear attempt at smuggling to evade high import duties.

Customs authorities have confirmed that the entire consignment has been transferred to the Chattogram Customs House warehouse for secure storage. Legal proceedings against the two identified passengers are currently underway in accordance with the Customs Act. Officials have reiterated that surveillance at Shah Amanat International Airport remains heightened to combat the illegal influx of tobacco and other restricted commodities.