DHAKA: The existing technology to detect cocaine concealed in edible oil has deliberately been ignored over the last three months. Thus cocaine mixed with sunflower oil has easily been coming in through Chittagong port.
The Narcotics Control Act provides penalty dependant on the volume of contraband drugs. The amount of cocaine recently seized in a sunflower oil consignment from Chittagong port is yet to be ascertained and the accused may have taken advantage of this loophole, said Enamul Haque, general secretary of Chittagong Bar Association.
According to the Narcotics Control Act, if any person carries, transports, exports, imports, delivers, buys, sells, preserves, displays or stocks narcotics, he or she may face imprisonment for different terms, depending on the quantity of the drug. For example, 25 grams of cocaine can lead to two to 10 years’ imprisonment. Over 25 grams can lead lifetime imprisonment or even a death sentence.
A consignment of 107 drums of sunflower oil from Bolivia reached the Chittagong port on 6 June. The consignment was shipped from Montevideo in Uruguay and arrived at the port via Singapore.
The customs intelligence seized the consignment on 8 June and detected cocaine in a lab test on 27 June.
However, Dilip Kumar, chief chemical examiner of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) said police have the technology to separate cocaine from the oil and measure its amount.
The CID laboratory even has the technology, but it is a time-consuming process, Dilip Kumar told Prothom Alo over phone.
Dulal Krishna Saha, chief chemist of Department of Narcotics Control, echoed Dilip’s statement.
Bangladesh intelligence sought Interpol assistance to nab three suspects in the case (two Bangladesh-born British citizens and an Indian citizen who lives in London). However, Interpol asked Bangladesh government to provide them with the fingerprints, dates of birth and other details of the three suspects.
The police have so far arrested six persons for alleged involvement in importing liquid cocaine with sunflower oil through Chittagong port. The six are now in jail. But, prime suspect Nur Mohammad, chairman of Khan Jahan Ali Enterprise, is yet to be arrested.
