Two smugglers with stolen coal held in Naokhali

Members of Bangladesh Coast Guard (BCG) detained two smugglers with stolen coal and 4 cargo boats during a drive in Hatiya of Noakhali on Saturday. 

Lieutenant Commander Siam-ul-Haque, media officer at coast guard headquarters, confirmed the matter on Monday. 

He said, "Acting on a tip-off, a special operation was conducted by Coast Guard Stations Hatiya and Ramgati at 2:30pm on Saturday in the Meghna River adjacent to Tankir Canal under Hatiya Police Station of Noakhali. During the drive, two smugglers were detained and 4 suspicious engine-powered wooden boats were seized as these have no valid documents. About 140 tons of coal worth about Tk. 35 lakh was also seized on the occasion." Later, during the primary interrogation of the arrestees, it was revealed that the coals were purchased under false pretenses from a commercial ship in the outer anchorage area of Chattogram. The seized coal, the boat used for smuggling and the arrested smugglers were handed over to Hatiya Police Station for further legal action.

"Bangladesh Coast Guard will continue such operations in future to curb crime in the coastal areas", he added.