The Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID) conducted a series of raids on passengers arriving on four separate flights at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Saturday, seizing smuggled goods worth nearly Tk 42.88 lakh, according to a press release from the National Board of Revenue (NBR).

The operations, carried out by Airport C-Shift officials acting on secret information, resulted in the seizure of 133 grams of gold, 2,589 pieces of conditionally importable medicines, 51 cartons of cigarettes, 31 kilograms of prohibited cream, 708 pieces of prohibited serum, and six litres of foreign liquor, the NBR said, according to BSS.

In the largest of the four operations, intelligence officials had kept a passenger on Sri Lankan Airlines flight UL189 from Colombo under close surveillance following a tip-off. After the flight landed around noon and the passenger, identified as Md Parvez, completed immigration and baggage collection, officials detained and searched him as he attempted to cross the Green Channel.

Officials recovered 133 grams of gold concealed in a specially made secret compartment of his trolley, along with 2,589 pieces of concealed medicines requiring import permits. The passenger failed to produce valid documentation for the medicines, leading to the seizure of the gold, medicines, and related goods, estimated at Tk 30 lakh.

In a separate operation, six litres of Grant's-brand foreign liquor, valued at an estimated Tk 1.20 lakh, were seized from the baggage of passenger Jony Mia, who arrived on Air India flight AI237.

Officials also searched the baggage of Md Mizanur Rahman, who arrived on Emirates flight EK0586, seizing 29 cartons of cigarettes and 708 pieces of Pakistani whitening serum with an estimated value of Tk 4,49,100.

In a fourth operation, 30 kilograms of Gouri cream, which is prohibited for import, were seized from the baggage of passenger Suma Begum, who arrived on US-Bangla Airlines flight BS316. The cream was valued at an estimated Tk 6 lakh.

The NBR said the coordinated operations, carried out across multiple flights on the same day through intelligence gathering, passenger profiling and close surveillance, reflect CIID's ongoing efforts to prevent smuggling and illegal imports at the airport.