The Bangladesh Coast Guard has detained 24 individuals while they were allegedly attempting to smuggle a large quantity of Bangladeshi cement to Myanmar in exchange for drugs.
Coast Guard media officer Lieutenant Commander Siam-ul-Haque confirmed the incident on Tuesday.
Acting on a tip-off, a special operation was carried out by Coast Guard at 1:00 AM in the outer anchorage area of the Bay of Bengal, off the coast of Chattogram.
During the operation, 850 sacks of cement — worth approximately BDT 4.25 lakh — were seized while being illegally transferred from a cargo boat to a fishing boat, intended for smuggling to Myanmar without paying customs duties.
Two boats used in the smuggling and 24 suspects involved in the operation were detained at the scene.
The seized cement, boats, and detainees are currently undergoing legal procedures.
Lieutenant Commander Siam-ul-Haque added that the Coast Guard will continue such operations in the future to prevent cross-border smuggling and ensure maritime security.
