Coast Guard's anti-smuggling drive : Cement, fertilizer destined for Myanmar seized in Kutubdia
Staff Correspondent
The Bangladesh Coast Guard has seized a large quantity of cement and fertilizer being smuggled to Myanmar during a special operation in the South Kutubdia Channel under Kutubdia upazila, Cox's Bazar.
Lieutenant Commander Sabbir Alam Sujan, Coast Guard Media Officer, disclosed this in a press release on Monday noon.
According to the Coast Guard, acting on a tip-off, a special team from Coast Guard Station Kutubdia conducted an operation in the South Kutubdia Channel on August 16 at approximately 12:00 PM. During the raid, officers intercepted and searched a suspicious fishing boat operating in the area.
The search led to the seizure of 250 sacks of cement and 60 sacks of fertilizer—valued at approximately Tk 197,500—which were being illegally transported for smuggling into Myanmar. The smuggling vessel was also confiscated. However, no arrests were made as the smugglers managed to flee the scene upon sensing the presence of the Coast Guard.
The seized goods and the confiscated boat have been handed over to Kutubdia Police Station for necessary legal proceedings.
The Coast Guard reiterated its commitment to maintaining rigorous surveillance, stating that anti-smuggling operations will continue in the future to curb illegal trafficking.
