Casino chips imported declaring as shoe raw materials

Dhaka, Sept 25 – Casino chips were imported illegally in the country in the name of importing shoe manufacturing materials and under different invoices by some companies, members of Customs Intelligence unit detected this during their investigation.Sources in the Customs Intelligence unit of National Board of Revenue revealed that AM Islam and Sons owned by one Zahirul Islam Mondal imported casino chips in the name of importing shoes making materials while another company A Three Trade International owned by Ahsanul Azam imported casino materials along with over 100 products, said the sources.
The members of Customs Intelligence revealed this while investigating importing dada from four commercial banks, sources added.
According to a source, the AM Islam and Sons had allegedly imported huge quantity of casino chips on December 7 in 2016 from Hong Kong. However the company declared the chalan before the customs house as shoe manufacturing materials.
On the other hand, A Three Trade International had allegedly imported rulet game sets and poker sets through Beanpole border on August 13 of 2017. The Beanpole Customs House could not find it as the materials were taken along with other 173 kinds of materials, said the source.
The Customs Intelligence unit started carrying out investigation after the recent crackdown against casino and those earned money through tender manipulation and extortion.
An official in the Customs Intelligence unit said they have already found five companies involved in importing casino materials and of them owners of two companies have been summoned for interrogation.
Meanwhile, C&F agents claimed that importing casino materials is not illegal while the materials were imported following all procedures accordingly.
According to Customs Intelligence unit sources, a total of five chalans imported through land port and sea port were detected in the last 10 years.
Meanwhile, sources in the Board of Revenue yesterday said that they are yet to get account details of the people who were allegedly involved in running business including Khaled Mahmud Bhuiyan, GK Shamim, Ismail Hossain Samrat and Nurunnabi Chowdhury Shawon, MP.
The NBR has asked the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) of Bangladesh Bank early this week to freezes their accounts and provide them banking details of the alleged persons, sources said.
An NBR official preferring anonymity said that they have taken the measures as part of the investigation to examine possessing illegal money and source of income of the persons involved in running the casino.
Talking to Journalists, head of BFIU Abu Hena Mohd. Razee said they are still collecting banking info of the people whose accounts were freeze and banking details were sought by the NBR in connection with casino business.
He said it would take times to collect account details of many people and they would forward the info to the authorities concerned after collecting information and preparing a report on it.
Earlier on September 18, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) carried out raid at Fakirerpool Youngmens Club and arrested Juba League Organising secretary Khaleda Mahmud Bhuiyan. Later on September 20, the RAB during their two separate drives arrested another Juba League leader GK Shamim from Niketan with huge amount of money, FDR documents, illegal firearms and seven bodyguards while arrested Krishak League leader Shafiqul Alam Firoz from Kalabagan Krira Chakra.
During the recent drives, the NBR asked the BFIU to freeze bank accounts of Khaled, GK Shamim, Firoz, Ismail Hossain Samrat, Nurunnabi Chowdhury Shawon, MP and their associates in connection with their alleged involvement in running casino. – Staff Reporter