600 bags of Urea Fertilizer seized while being smuggled to Myanmar by sea, 10 detained
Cox's Bazar Correspondent
The Coast Guard has seized 600 bags of urea fertilizer and detained 10 traffickers while they were being illegally smuggled to Myanmar by sea.The information was confirmed on Friday at 2:30 PM by Lieutenant Commander H M M Harun-or-Rashid, Media Officer of the Coast Guard East Zone.The detained individuals are residents of various areas in Cox’s Bazar, Chattogram, and Noakhali districts.He said, a 58-day fishing ban is currently in effect at sea, making it illegal for any trawler to operate during this period. However, in the early hours of Thursday night, members of the Coast Guard ship Tajuddin spotted a suspicious wooden fishing trawler in the deep sea near the St. Martin’s coast off Teknaf. The Coast Guard personnel signaled the trawler to stop, but those onboard attempted to flee at high speed. The trawler was then chased down and captured by the Coast Guard.“Upon searching the trawler, 600 bags of urea fertilizer, being smuggled to Rakhine State in Myanmar evading customs duties, were recovered. Ten individuals involved in the smuggling were detained,” he added.The Coast Guard media officer further stated that on Saturday morning, the trawler was brought to the Coast Guard jetty near Teknaf land port. The recovered fertilizer was deposited at the Teknaf Customs office.A case has been filed against the detainees at Teknaf Police Station under the relevant laws.
