Spare Parts Turn into BMW!
To evade customs duty, cars being cut into pieces and and imported!
Photo: Agamir Somoy
A new tactic has been developed to evade customs duties at Mongla Port. Instead of importing whole luxury cars, they are cut into several large pieces and declared as "used car parts." These parts are cleared from the port, reassembled into complete ones and then sold at higher prices in their own showrooms after paying higher duties. After unveiling the tricky ways of importing luxury cars through Mongla Port, the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID) seized a BMW car from Rahmatganj in Chattogram.
The car was seized on Thursday (27 August) afternoon from the parking lot of Sattar Manzil (BTI Building) in Rahmatganj, Jamalkhan Ward, in the city. The car bore the Chattogram BRTA registration number 'Chatto Metro-Ga-11-3651'. It is estimated that the car's value is around Tk 2.5 crore to Tk 3 crore.
These details were disclosed at a press conference held at the CIID's Chattogram regional office by Rezvi Ahmed, Additional Director General of the CIID's Chattogram regional office.
He said the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate has identified a method of importing complete luxury cars in a "semi-knocked-down" (SKD) condition—cut into three or four large pieces—declared as "used car parts" through Mongla Port. The agency is investigating whether this method is an attempt to conceal the actual imported goods and evade customs duties.
Based on secret information, a CIID team conducted the raid. They identified and seized the BMW from the parking lot.
Customs intelligence officials inquired about the current owner of the car, Mohammad Ayub, and learned that he is abroad. They then asked his wife, Sultana Farhana Jahan, to produce valid documents related to the purchase and import of the car. However, she was unable to present any paperwork.
At that time, officials also requested the car keys, but those present refused to hand them over, Rezvi Ahmed said. As the owner failed to produce valid import documents, purchase papers, or necessary information, the car was seized.
