Indian National Held at Chattogram Airport with Gold Worth Tk81.6 Lakh

An Indian national was detained at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram on Saturday after customs intelligence officials allegedly recovered more than 427 grams of gold concealed inside his underwear, according to airport authorities.

The passenger was identified as Tamim Ansari, a resident of Chennai in India's Tamil Nadu state. He arrived at Chattogram airport from Sharjah on an Air Arabia flight, G9-526, at around 8:30am.

According to a press release issued by the airport authorities, a Customs Intelligence team intercepted Ansari while he was attempting to pass through the green channel of the customs hall. Officials said they acted on information received beforehand regarding possible gold smuggling.


A subsequent search allegedly led to the discovery of nine pieces of gold hidden in the form of a specially prepared paste inside the passenger's underwear.

The seized gold weighed approximately 427.65 grams, with authorities estimating its market value at Tk81.66 lakh. The recovery was made during the customs inspection following the passenger's arrival in Bangladesh.

Airport officials subsequently handed the seized gold over to the airport customs authorities for further legal proceedings.

Engineer Ibrahim Khalil, Public Relations Officer at Chattogram Shah Amanat International Airport, said legal action was being initiated against the Indian national under the relevant laws.

He said that after the necessary case-related formalities were completed, Ansari would be handed over to Patenga Police Station for further legal proceedings.

The detention is the latest incident involving attempts to bring gold into Bangladesh through an international airport. Authorities regularly monitor passengers and baggage for undeclared precious metals and other restricted items as part of efforts to prevent smuggling and protect customs revenue.

In this case, officials said the passenger attempted to conceal the gold in a manner intended to avoid detection while passing through the customs hall. The use of the green channel generally indicates that a passenger has no goods to declare, making intelligence-led surveillance an important part of customs enforcement.

Airport authorities said monitoring and enforcement efforts against gold smuggling and foreign currency trafficking would continue. The activities will involve coordinated operations by airport intelligence agencies, Customs Intelligence, Airport Customs and the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB).

Officials said such coordinated surveillance is necessary to identify passengers suspected of carrying undeclared gold or other prohibited and taxable items through international entry points.

The authorities are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the alleged smuggling attempt, including how the gold was acquired and whether other individuals were involved in arranging or facilitating its transportation.


The seized gold will remain under the custody of the relevant customs authorities as the legal process moves forward. The detained passenger is expected to face proceedings under Bangladesh's applicable customs and anti-smuggling laws.


The incident also highlights the continued focus of Bangladeshi authorities on international airports as key points for detecting attempts to illegally transport gold and other valuable commodities across the country's borders.

With passenger movement increasing through Chattogram's international airport, customs and airport security agencies have continued to strengthen intelligence-based checks alongside routine passenger screening.

Authorities said coordinated surveillance operations would continue at Shah Amanat International Airport to prevent gold smuggling, foreign currency trafficking and other forms of illegal cross-border movement.