Import agency sued for money laundering

Chittagong Customs House (CCH) yesterday lodged a case against a Dhaka-based import agency on charges of laundering Tk 57.70 lakh

The agency, RSB Enterprise Ltd, laundered the money by importing 2020 sacks of sand in four containers against the declaration of importing 68 thousand tonnes of plastic raw materials from China, CCH Deputy Commissioner Shakil Khandaker told The Daily Star.

According to sources at CCH, the customs officials discovered the discrepancy when the Clearing and Forwarding agent, Green International, went to have the consignment released on behalf of the importer.

After the discovery, CCH filed the lawsuit and said an internal probe body will look into the matter.

However, both the C&F agent and the importer denied the charges.

“The importer might have been a victim of fraud or the exporter has made a mistake. We are trying to contact them through the bank,” ABM Fazle Shah, managing director of Green International, told The Daily Star.

Similarly, at the end of last year, Dhaka-based MM International declared import of plastic goods worth Tk 11.15 lakh from China.

Later, during a physical examination of the container, customs officials found sand placed at the bottom instead.

C&F agent Alam Enterprise was tasked with having the consignment released. The National Board of Revenue is currently investigating the incident.