Staff Reporter : Police and Pabna Customs, Excise and VAT Department have seized fake bidis worth around Tk 1 million while they were being sent to a courier service in Ishwardi Upazila of Pabna. The bidis were seized from in front of SA Courier Service near Ishwardi Police Station on Friday (May 30) night. A Bhut Bhut (small engine-driven vehicle) was seized during the seizure.
Customs and police sources said that fake bidis were being brought to SA Paribahan Courier Service in Pabna to be sent by courier. Upon receiving the information, Pabna Customs, Excise and VAT Department and police jointly conducted a raid. During this time, a Bhut Bhuti (small engine-driven vehicle) vehicle along with 15 cartons and 15 bags of fake bidis were seized from in front of SA Paribahan Courier Office. Five lakh sticks of fake Akij bidis, 4,80,000 sticks of fake Banti bidis and 2.5 lakh sticks of band-rolled Bakul bidis were recovered from the raid. The current market value of which is about one million taka. However, no one involved in the incident could be arrested.
Ishwardi Police Station Inspector (Investigation) ABM Monirul Islam said that no one has been arrested in the incident. The recovered bidis have been shown to the Ishwardi Customs Office. Legal action has been taken in this regard.
Assistant Revenue Officer Mejbah Uddin said, “For a long time, this gang had been evading government revenue by making bidis under different brand names using fake bandrolls. These activities are punishable crimes. Preparations are being made for a case. Such operations will continue in the future as well.”