Bangladesh Customs has intercepted one of the country’s largest illicit imports in recent years—nearly 25 tons of prohibited poppy seeds, disguised as bird feed and shipped from Pakistan. The dramatic seizure at Chattogram Port underscores growing vigilance by customs authorities amid an uptick in transnational smuggling operations using fraudulent trade declarations.
Hidden cargo behind “bird feed”
Officials from the Audit, Investigation and Research (AIR) Wing of Chattogram Customs confirmed that the consignment—imported by a company named M/S Adib Trading—arrived on October 9. The importer had declared a total of 32,010 kilograms of bird feed, but a tip-off prompted a deeper inspection.
When officers opened the two containers at an off-dock depot operated by Saber Ahmed Timber Company Ltd on October 22, they found that only 7,200 kg matched the declared material. Behind those front-layered sacks of bird feed were 24,960 kilograms of concealed poppy seeds, an item strictly banned under Bangladesh’s Narcotics Control Act 2018 and the Import Policy Order 2021–2024.
Laboratory tests conducted by the Plant Quarantine Authority, Dhaka University’s Nanotechnology Center, and the Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) confirmed the substance as poppy seeds—classified under “Category A” narcotics if capable of germination.
Estimated value and legal implications
The shipment’s declared value was just Tk 30 lakh, but customs officials estimate its actual market worth at more than Tk 6.5 crore (USD 550,000). The consignment was imported through C&F agent MH Trading Customs C&F Ltd, which is now under investigation.
Deputy Commissioner HM Kabir of Chattogram Customs said the seizure demonstrates the agency’s commitment to preventing the inflow of controlled substances through deceptive means. “The importers attempted to conceal the poppy seeds behind a small layer of legitimate goods. Legal proceedings are now underway under the Customs Act 2023,” he told The Voice News.
Regulatory framework and enforcement challenges
Under the Import Policy Order 2021–2024, poppy seeds (locally known as posta dana) fall under prohibited items due to their narcotic potential. Although widely used as a culinary spice in neighboring India, their import and sale remain illegal in Bangladesh because of concerns over drug processing and unregulated cultivation.
Smugglers have increasingly turned to agricultural or feed-based cover declarations to disguise such consignments. In several previous incidents, customs intelligence detected narcotics or controlled seeds falsely declared as food ingredients, animal feed, or industrial inputs.
Growing concern over trade-route abuse
Bangladesh shares long-standing trade routes with Pakistan, but intelligence officials say these are being exploited for illicit shipments. A senior customs investigator said: “We have identified a pattern of using legitimate trade channels for narcotics-related substances, often under neutral commodity names.”
The official added that tighter port surveillance and improved data-sharing among agencies are helping uncover such operations earlier in the clearance process.
Crackdown and international coordination
This latest seizure comes as Bangladesh ramps up its fight against cross-border drug smuggling networks. Customs and law enforcement agencies have expanded intelligence-sharing with regional partners to track shipments originating from “high-risk ports” in South and West Asia.
Authorities said they are also reviewing the licensing of importers and freight handlers implicated in misdeclaration cases, aiming to revoke permits for repeat offenders.
Customs officials emphasized that such operations are crucial for protecting both the economy and public health. “Poppy seeds may appear harmless, but their illegal trade links to narcotic production make them a national concern,” one officer said.
With the investigation now under way, the Chattogram seizure stands as a stark reminder of how legitimate commerce can be exploited for criminal enterprise—and how robust enforcement remains Bangladesh’s first line of defense against it.
