8 ‘smugglers’ held with cement in Cox’s Bazar

Bangladesh Coast Guard arrested eight alleged smugglers along with a cement-laden fishing boat allegedly being smuggled to Myanmar from the Bakkhali River estuary in Cox’s Bazar district early Saturday.

Acting on a tip-off, a team of Coast Guard officials conducted a drive, intercepted a suspicious fishing boat in the estuary of the Bankkhali River and arrested eight smugglers after conducting a search.

During the search, Coast Guard recovered 375 sacks of cement worth Tk 187,500 that were reportedly being prepared for smuggling to Myanmar without paying customs duties and taxes.
Coast Guard media officer Lieutenant Commander Siam-ul-Haq confirmed the seizure and said that legal action is underway against the arrested individuals.

SU/AM