Cigarettes, Mobile Phones Worth Nearly Tk 10 Lakh Seized at Chattogram Airport

Customs officials have seized a large quantity of foreign cigarettes and mobile phones from a passenger at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram.

The seizure was made around 9:30am on Saturday (21 February) when airport authorities searched the passenger’s luggage at the green channel on suspicion. A total of 270 cartons of foreign cigarettes and 15 mobile phones—including five iPhones and 10 Google Pixel handsets—were recovered from his baggage.

Officials estimated the market value of the seized goods at around Tk 9.9 lakh.

Airport Public Relations Officer Engineer Ibrahim Khalil said the items were confiscated during a joint operation by the National Security Intelligence (NSI), Customs Intelligence, and Airport Customs. The seized goods were later handed over to Airport Customs for further processing.

The passenger, identified as Mohammad Hossain Zahed Habib, is a resident of Fatikchhari in Chattogram. He arrived from Dubai on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight (BG-148).

Authorities said the goods were seized for exceeding the allowable baggage limit. The passenger was later released after receiving a verbal warning.