On Monday morning, Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka witnessed a striking smuggling operation at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. Two female cabin crew members arriving on Saudia flight SV-802 were caught by customs officers with a total of 36 gold bars.
The aircraft landed at 2:00 AM local time, and the crew members, identified as Saima Akhter and Farzana Afrose, attempted to smuggle the gold by concealing it in their undergarments—26 bars by one and 10 by the other. The operation was carried out with the support of the Armed Police Battalion (APBn).
The seized gold is reported to have a very high market value and marks yet another instance in the recent rise of organised gold smuggling cases in Bangladesh. Customs officials have announced a wide-ranging investigation into the incident.
Bangladeshi customs authorities noted a growing trend in smuggling cases involving airline staff and stated that inspections have been intensified. International security experts say such cases highlight serious security vulnerabilities in air transport—not only in Bangladesh but globally.
