Customs seize cigarettes, vapes at Dhaka airport

Customs intelligence officials seized foreign cigarettes, vapes and mobile phone displays from passengers at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, with the goods valued at an estimated Tk 17.46 lakh.

According to the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate, the seized items included 223 cartons of foreign cigarettes, 44 vapes and 144 mobile phone displays.

Acting on a tip-off received on September 13, officials of the Airport Customs Intelligence and Investigation Circle, B-shift, stepped up surveillance of passengers arriving on international flights.

A passenger identified as Abdul Karim, who arrived from Dubai on Emirates flight EK584, was stopped for a baggage check while crossing the Green Channel after his luggage appeared suspicious.

A subsequent search found 223 cartons of foreign cigarettes in his baggage, which were seized by customs officials.

On the same day, customs officials searched the baggage of Shepon, a passenger arriving from Malaysia on AirAsia flight AK71, and recovered 44 vapes.

In another operation, officials recovered 98 mobile phone displays from KM Tofail Ahmed, who arrived from Guangzhou on US-Bangla Airlines flight BS326.

They also recovered another 46 mobile phone displays from Shamima Akter, who arrived on the same flight. The two passengers were carrying a total of 144 mobile phone displays.

Customs intelligence officials are examining whether the incidents are linked to organised smuggling networks and whether passengers were being used as carriers for smuggled goods.