5 officials suspended over gold theft from Benapole customs’ vault

Five officials on Tuesday were suspended over theft of 19.38 kg gold from Benapole customs house after breaking its vault.

Unidentified miscreants have recently stolen the gold from Benapole customs house.

“When the office reopened after Eid-e-Miladunnabi vacation, the authorities found the vault broken on Monday morning and informed police,” said Belal Hossain Chowdhury, Benapole Customs Commissioner at a press briefing at 10:00pm on Monday.

Around 19.38 kg gold was found missing from the volt, he said.

Belal Hossain said five officials, including vault in-charge Sahabul Sardar, were suspended over the incident.

A five-member probe committee was formed with joint customs commissioner Md Shahidul Islam as its head, he added.

Mamun Khan, officer-in-charge of Benapole port police station, said “Thieves used alternative keys for opening customs house godown.”

Sources at Benapole customs said DB, CID, PBI, RAB and police officials inquired into the volt room around 5:00pm on Monday in presence of joint customs commissioner Shahidul Islam.