Banned sodium cyclamate seized again at Chattogram port

Another consignment of banned sodium cyclamate has been seized at Chattogram port. Based on a tip-off, the intelligence team of Chattogram Customs House, with the help of the Central Intelligence Cell Dhaka, conducted a raid and seized 4,200 kg of sodium cyclamate.

The National Board of Revenue announced the matter in a press release on Wednesday (December 10). Customs sources said that a company named Ejaz Trading imported 22,088 kg of the product from China in a container. The product was declared as 'poly aluminum chloride'.

When the container reached Chattogram port on October 21, customs suspended the clearance process. Later, on November 6, two types of products were found during physical examination. Chemical tests at the customs lab showed that 17,800 kg of it was poly aluminum chloride, while the remaining 4,200 kg was sodium cyclamate.

The concerned said that granulated sugar is an artificial sweetener, which is 30 to 50 times sweeter than regular sugar. Some unscrupulous traders use it in desserts, bakery, ice cream, drinks and baby food to get extra sweetness at a low cost. However, it increases the risk of kidney and liver diseases, including cancer.

The government has banned the import of granulated sugar as per the Import Policy Order 2021-2024. Therefore, the goods have been seized as per the Customs Act, 2023 and the process of taking legal action against the importer is underway.

It is worth noting that on September 16 and October 28 of this year, about 100 tons of banned granulated sugar were seized in two separate consignments. The legal proceedings in that case are still ongoing.