Shawdesh Desk:

Chattogram Customs House today seized 1,407 tonnes of illegally imported alcohol from a ship in the port area.

Bipasha C&F agent, which was responsible for unloading the boxes of alcohol on behalf of the importing company — Bangladesh-China Power Company Limited — had declared the ship to be carrying capital machinery, our Chattogram correspondent reports quoting Joint Commissioner of the custom house Shadhon Kumar Chandra.

The customs house officials found 17 cargoes full of alcohol and beer on the Ship MV QG Shan, the official said.

The total amount of seized alcohol is around 1407 tonnes, which was being shifted in 669 boxes through three lighter vessels, the official said.

The ship had not yet received clearance from the customs authorities for unloading the boxes. MV Q G Shan was anchored near the Karnaphuli river in the meantime.

The staff of C&F agent and the ship were trying to unload the boxes and smuggling them away before MV QG Shan reached the port, the official said.

Capital machinery have just 1 to 3 percent import duty on them while alcohol has a 300 to 400 percent import duty on it. Also, while other imported goods go through inspections at up to 16 stages before their release from ports, there is no need for such rigorous examinations for capital machinery.

As part of the government’s trade facilitation policy to encourage investments, customs officials must release them quickly.

Exploiting the rules, a section of businesses is importing liquors in the name of capital machinery to sell them on the black market.

Between 2011 and 2017, customs and drug administration officials in Chittagong Port seized six large shipments of liquors imported through misdeclaration, customs and court documents show.

The consignments carried about 75,000 litres of whiskey, vodka and beer, but customs officials say this is only a tiny fraction of the actual volume of the alcohol smuggled into the country.