Operation Irene begins at Ctg Port

Customs Intelligence launched a two-day special drive titled ‘Operation Irene’ at Chittagong Port on Monday.
The purpose of the drive is to stop trafficking of small arms, explosives and drugs through the port, said official sources.
The operation began at around 10am from No. 8 shade of Jetty No. 4 at Chittagong Port. Three dog squads of Border Guard Bangladesh were used in the operation to recover illegal arms, explosives and drugs if imported using the sea route on false declarations.
‘The operation was launched as part of a global effort to ensure state security by stopping illegal trafficking of arms and drugs to militants and terrorists,’ said Hossain Ahmed, additional director general of Customs Intelligence.
He said they started the drive in Chittagong port with help of the port authorities and BGB. Nothing suspicious was found in the first day drive. The drive will continue on Tuesday.
‘Especially, we are scanning the LCL (Less Container Load) containers. Scanning is difficult for such kinds of containers as different kinds of goods are loaded in LCL containers. Generally smugglers used LCL container,’ said Hossain.
‘We conducted the drive with to detect any kind of explosives, weapons, ammunition and drugs that could be smuggled in for terrorists through the port,’ he added.
Along with 33 other countries, the special operation Irene is being conducted in Bangladesh in coordination with the Regional Intelligence Liaison Office for Asia and the Pacific (RILO AP) of World Customs Organisations (WCO).
‘The operation was conducted at Chittagong Shah Amanat International Airport in the last two days, but nothing was found mentionable. Earlier, the drive was also conducted at Shahjalal International Airport at Dhaka and Benapole,’ said Hossain Ahmed.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net