Gold is being smuggled from Myanmar to Cox’s Bazar by Rohingyas and then it is transported to India via Dhaka’s Tanti Bazar with the help of some local gold traders, according to intelligence sources.
A section of gold traders in Chattogram are involved in the smuggling network, using Chattogram as a route for smuggling the precious metal from Myanmar to India, the sources said.
On Sunday, members of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) arrested two Rohingyas along with over 29 kg of gold jewellery from the Hnila border in Teknaf of Cox’s Bazar.
The arrestees are Yahia Khan (45), from Balukhali 13 Rohingya Camp in Ukhiya Upazila and Anwar Sadeq (28), from Suija village in Maungdaw, Rakhine State, Myanmar.
Lt Col Md Mohiuddin Ahmed, the commander of BGB’s Teknaf-2 Battalion, said they conducted an operation in Uttar Phuler Dale area of Hnila Union, Teknaf Upazila at midnight on Saturday and arrested them.
He said BGB conducted the operation on an information that a large consignment of gold smuggled from Myanmar was stored in a local residence.
As the BGB members surrounded the suspected house, two Rohingyas tried to flee with a small bag but they were caught by the BGB.
“After opening the bag, BGB found 29.15 kilograms of gold jewellery and Tk 26,010 in cash. The estimated value of the gold is around Tk 28.75 crore,” the BGB officer said.
During primary interrogation, it is learnt that Yahia Khan, who is staying in the Rohingya camp, brought gold ornaments from Maungdaw in Myanmar, with the help of Anwar Sadeq, a citizen of that country, to Bangladesh, intending to sell them.
The recovered gold and cash have been deposited in the treasury section of the Cox’s Bazar District Commissioner’s office. A case has been filed with Teknaf Police Station against the arrestees.
Intelligence sources said Rohingyas smuggle gold consignments into Cox’s Bazar through Myanmar border and pass them to carriers. The gold is first transported to Chattogram and then sent to India through Dhaka’s Tantibazar with the help of some gold traders, the sources added.
Sources said some gold traders from Cox’s Bazar and Chattogram act as intermediaries.
On June 16, 2023, law enforcers seized a consignment of 9.5kg gold and arrested four people at a police check post in Karnaphuli upazila in Chattogram. They were coming from Cox’s Bazar in a bus.
The four were bringing the gold consignment to Chattogram from Teknaf of Cox’s Bazar. For their services, the carriers received cash amount ranging from Tk 15,000 to Tk 20,000.
Their confessional statement says, “Several gold traders of Hazari Lane and New Market areas of Chattogram city and Tanti Bazar in Dhaka are directly involved with a racket that smuggles gold from Myanmar to India via Bangladesh.”
