Drugs imported with fake declaration seized at Chittagong port

The Chittagong Customs House has seized contraband drugs imported with a declaration of cosmetics items. Customs sources said the consignment was imported from Chinese YIWU Shenghui Import and Export Company Ltd.

Dhaka based Premium Trading Cosmetics brought in the items. 

Assistant Commissioner of Chittagong Customs House Aminul Islam said the bill of entry for the release of the consignment was submitted on October 9.  

"We examined the products on October 16 followed by the application and found the drugs," said Aminul Islam adding, "They hauled the release. Then the importer Premium Trading claimed there are no drugs in the consignment and applied for an inventory — a complete check."

Responding to the plea, the inventory was conducted at the Chittagong Container Terminal on Wednesday. 

Joint Commissioner of the customs house SM Shamsuzzaman said they have found 0.5 percent alcohol presence in the undeclared substances. If the alcohol presence is detected above 0.2 percent, substances are treated as drugs.               

Shamsuzzaman said the importer will be sued under the Narcotics Control Act. 

Meantime, Manjur Hossain Chowdhury, managing director of the Clearing and Forwarding agent - Chattogram's New Star Enterprise Limited - categorically shifted the blame on the importer. 

He said, "We submit a bill of entry as per the information provided by the importer. We are not supposed to know about the details of the items."