In a major seizure, customs officials at Chittagong port have confiscated two containers carrying 24,940 kilograms of banned poppy seeds from Pakistan that were falsely declared as bird food.
The operation, conducted by the Customs Audit, Investigation and Research (AIR) branch based on a tip-off, revealed a significant discrepancy. While the import declaration valued the goods at Tk 30 lakh, a physical examination found the actual value of the seized poppy seeds to be approximately Tk 6.5 crore.
According to customs sources, the consignment was declared as 32,100 kg of bird food. Upon inspection, officials discovered 24,960 kg of poppy seeds alongside only 7,200 kg of actual bird food.
Chittagong Customs House Deputy Commissioner, HM Kabir, confirmed the seizure in a notification on Thursday. He stated that the import of poppy seeds is prohibited as a Class 'A' narcotic under the Import Policy Order 2021-2024.
"The consignment has been seized under the Customs Act 2023 for importing prohibited products with a false declaration," Kabir said. He added that the substance was confirmed to be poppy seeds after laboratory tests by the Nanotechnology Center of Dhaka University, Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), and the Plant Quarantine Wing.
The importer has been identified as M/s Adib Trading, located at No. 7 Korbaniganj under the City Kotwali Police Station. The clearing and forwarding (C&F) agent for the shipment was MH Trading Customs C&F Agent Limited.
The two containers had arrived at Chittagong Port on October 23 and were taken to the off-dock facility of Ahmed Timber Company Limited in Chittagong for clearance when customs officials intercepted and inspected them.
