Police Raid SA Paribahan in Sylhet: 70 Sacks of Smuggled Cumin Seized; Journalist Under Fire

​Staff Correspondent, Sylhet:

Police have intercepted a massive shipment of 70 sacks of smuggled Indian cumin during a raid at the SA Paribahan Courier Service counter in Naiorpul, Sylhet. A DI truck loaded with the consignment was seized during the operation on Thursday night.
​According to reports, a man identified as Mintu, a resident of the city’s Mazumdari area, was attempting to smuggle the cumin using the courier service. Upon receiving a tip-off, a group of local journalists and police arrived at the scene. Mintu claimed that he had purchased the 70 sacks of cumin in an auction on Thursday. However, he failed to produce any valid documents or legal receipts to back his claim. Consequently, the police seized the truck along with the goods.
​The incident took a controversial turn as on-duty journalists alleged that Shamim, a correspondent for a leading private TV channel in the country, was facilitating the smuggling process. It is further alleged that Shamim desperately tried to “manage” the fellow journalists at the scene to suppress the matter and release the seized goods.
​Police officials stated that they are currently verifying the authenticity of the goods, and legal action will be taken against those involved in this smuggling ring.