39 tonnes of prohibited artificial sweetener seized in Chattogram
Chattogram Customs House has seized 39 tonnes of import-prohibited Sodium Cyclamate during the final stage of clearance of a consignment imported from China.
The Audit, Investigation and Research (AIR) team of Chattogram Customs intercepted the consignment, imported by SP Traders of Mitford Road, Dhaka.
The seizure was carried out based on secret intelligence, according to a press release issued by the National Board of Revenue yesterday (10 November).
The importer had declared the goods as Polyaluminium Chloride in three containers that arrived on 4 October.
A Bill of Entry was submitted on 7 October by C Bird Corporation of Jubilee Road, Chattogram, acting as the clearing and forwarding agent.
After the consignment was loaded onto trucks for release, Customs suspended the clearance and conducted a physical examination on 28 October in the presence of the C&F agent.
Samples of two different types of goods were collected and sent to the Customs laboratory for chemical analysis.
The laboratory test confirmed that 24 tonnes of the goods were Polyaluminium Chloride as declared, while the remaining 39 tonnes were identified as Sodium Cyclamate, an artificial sweetener.
Sodium Cyclamate is 30 to 50 times sweeter than regular sugar and is sometimes used illegally in sweets, bakery items, beverages, ice cream, chocolate, condensed milk, and baby food.
The substance is harmful to public health and may cause kidney and liver complications, including cancer. The product is declared import-prohibited under the Import Policy Order 2021–2024.
Customs officials have seized the consignment under the Customs Act, 2023. The press release also stated that legal action is underway.