POBNEWS24, Dhaka Nov 7, 2025 : Chittagong Customs House officials have seized about 25,000 kg of banned poppy seeds brought from Pakistan under the guise of bird food. Based on a tip-off, the Audit, Investigation and Research (AIR) branch seized two consignments. The market value of the seized goods is more than 6.5 crore taka, according to Customs.
On Thursday (November 6), Customs officials said that Messrs. Adib Trading declared the import of 32,010 kg of bird food from Pakistan. The consignment reached Chittagong Port on October 9. Later, it was kept at Ahmed Timber Company Limited at Offdock Chaba. On October 14, MH Trading Customs C&F Agent Limited submitted a bill of entry for the consignment to be released.
But on October 22, Customs suspended the release of the two containers based on confidential information. Later, during physical examination, 7,200 kg of bird food was found in the first row, but 24,960 kg of poppy seeds were found hidden behind it. After that, samples were collected and sent to the Plant Quarantine Department, Dhaka University’s Nanotechnology Center and Khulna University of Engineering and Technology. The product was confirmed as poppy seeds in the test.
Chittagong Customs House Deputy Commissioner HM Kabir said that germinating poppy seeds are considered a class ‘A’ drug as per the Narcotics Control Act, 2018. In addition, it is on the list of import-prohibited products in the Import Policy Order 2021-24. The consignment has been seized as per the Customs Act, 2023 for attempting to import prohibited products through false declaration. The value of the product was shown as only Tk 3 million in the declaration. However, the market value is about Tk 6.5 million. The process of taking legal action in this regard is underway.
