Dhaka: A Bangladeshi court has granted a seven-day remand of two Chinese nationals accused of attempting to smuggle 12 kg of gold paste concealed in their clothing on a flight from Dubai, local media reported.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Ripon Hossain issued the order following a remand plea filed by Md Mazedul Islam, the sub-inspector of Airport Police Station investigating the case.
The development was confirmed by Saiful Islam, a sub-inspector of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Prosecution Division, leading Bangladeshi daily ‘Dhaka Tribune’ reported.
The two accused, identified as Chen Liun and Mo Xiaoyu, allegedly attempted to exit through the green channel without declaring any baggage.
However, customs officials questioned them and searched their belongings, uncovering soft, yellow, paste-like substances concealed in their jeans and undergarments, which had been specially stitched with black fabric.
The concealed substances were extracted by cutting open the clothing in the presence of officials from Bangladesh’s National Security Intelligence (NSI), Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) and other agencies.
Reports suggest that a preliminary assessment by a goldsmith identified the material as 24-carat gold.
According to the case statement, approximately 6 kg of gold paste was recovered from each accused, taking the total seizure to around 12 kg. However, the purity of the gold is yet to be established through chemical testing.
The seizure also included two mobile phones, clothing used to conceal the substances, adhesive tape and other materials linked to the alleged smuggling.
The case statement said that the accused were unable to provide valid documentation for transporting the gold and were subsequently booked on charges of gold smuggling.
The incident comes just days ahead of a scheduled visit by a senior Chinese Communist Party (CPC) official to Bangladesh, placing the alleged smuggling case in the spotlight amid growing high-level diplomatic engagements between the two countries.
Liu Haixing, head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (IDCPC), is scheduled to visit Bangladesh from November 3 to 5 to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral relations.
During his visit to Dhaka, he is expected to meet President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, a senior government official told Bangladeshi media outlet UNB.
–IANS–
