DHAKA, Sept 7, 2026 (BSS) - Customs intelligence authorities have intercepted five suspected fake export consignments of Valmont Fashions Ltd., involving goods worth around Taka 5.43 crore, after finding no physical existence of the declared products at the concerned inland container depot.

According to the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID), the five consignments declared a total of 121,175 kilograms of goods for export against a total declared value of US$438,304.

The consignments were detected during scrutiny of export declarations in the ASYCUDA World System on September 3, 2026.

The initial analysis found anomalies in the declared destination countries, nature of goods and total weight, prompting the customs intelligence officials to hold the consignments for further verification.

The declared destinations of the five consignments were the United Arab Emirates and the Philippines, while Bangladesh's major apparel export markets include the European Union, the United States and the United Kingdom, among others.

Further analysis also found that the quantity of export goods declared by the bonded factory during the past year appeared disproportionately high compared with the volume of raw materials imported by the company.

The declared export volume was also found to be inconsistent with the normal input-output coefficient, according to the preliminary findings.

According to the Bills of Export, the goods were supposed to be exported through Isak Brothers Industries Ltd., an inland container depot.

Following the declarations, customs intelligence officials visited the depot and instructed the authorities concerned to produce the goods for physical examination.

However, neither the depot authorities nor the concerned C&F agent could produce any of the declared goods.

Instead, they reportedly informed the customs officials that the goods declared for export had not entered the depot at all.

The officials also found it difficult to obtain a satisfactory explanation as to how customs formalities for the consignments had been completed despite the goods not entering the depot.

The five consignments involved a declared 121,175-kg of goods, valued at US$438,304, equivalent to Taka 542,999,992.33, according to the information provided by the customs intelligence authorities.

The preliminary investigation suggests that an attempt may have been made to show exports against the five consignments without the actual existence of the goods.

The customs intelligence authorities' monitoring and special efforts prevented the suspected transactions from proceeding, officials said.

The incident has raised questions about how customs formalities could be completed without the declared goods physically entering the depot.

Normally, export goods are first brought to the designated inland container depot under the supervision of the Chattogram Customs House, where necessary customs procedures are completed before the goods are exported.

The CIID is now investigating how the customs formalities were completed in the absence of the goods and whether anyone was involved in facilitating the process.

The roles of the exporter, the concerned C&F agent and the depot authorities are being examined, along with the possibility of involvement of any other individual or organisation.

The authorities said action would be taken against those found responsible under the applicable customs and other laws based on evidence obtained during the investigation.