Closed factory’s name, old permits used to import Tk5cr phones under false declaration

Closed factory named as importer

Md Shariful Islam, executive director of Chattogram EPZ, told The Business Standard that Thianis Apparels shut down in May 2025 and its IP was deactivated around the same time.

The EPZ authorities later terminated the company’s lease and auctioned its assets, while the factory building was allotted to another company, he said.

“There is no existence of Thianis Apparels,” Shariful said, adding that the company could not have legitimately imported new goods under the bonded facility.

Another CEPZ official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said authorities found that two old IPs issued to two companies, under which goods had already been received, were allegedly forged and used in the shipment under Thianis Apparels’ name.

“Possibly, the C&F agent, who might be a common customs agent for the three companies, was involved in the IP forgery. The customs authority will find out who actually imported the consignment and who else was involved,” he said.

Investigators suspect people with access to the companies’ old import records and documents may have facilitated the shipment. C&F agent UK Dorin, which previously handled air cargo clearance for Thianis, is also under scrutiny.

C&F agent’s role questioned

Shipment documents show UK Dorin Managing Director Tanvir Ahmed authorised clearance using a fake letterhead of Thianis and later assigned Ruhul Amin to collect the goods. Customs records also identify Tanvir as Thianis’s commercial manager in the authorisation.

Tanvir, however, told The Business Standard that a Thianis official named Elias had authorised his employee to clear the shipment.

Thianis Managing Director Anisur Rahman Khan said Elias left the company in September 2024 and that Thianis had conducted no commercial activity since its closure.

He denied involvement in the shipment, saying no Thianis official had provided UK Dorin with clearance documents. He added that UK Dorin previously handled Thianis’s airport cargo clearance but had not done so for about a year because the company’s IP was blocked.

He also said Thianis has several ongoing disputes with Bepza and that he lost access to business and personal documents left inside the factory after its assets were auctioned.

Meanwhile, FF Cargo Service officials could not be reached for comment.

Criminal case filed over alleged false IP, smuggling

CIID officials said the amount of duty and tax evaded has yet to be determined. They will assess the phones’ value based on their models, condition, IMEI numbers, declared import value and market prices.

CIID Director General Safiur Rahman declined to comment and referred TBS to the NBR spokesperson.

NBR spokesperson Al Amin said Dhaka Customs House had filed a criminal case with Airport Police Station over the alleged use of false IP documents and smuggling.

“The case was filed under Airport Police Station Case No 24 on 11 September 2026. Other legal proceedings under the applicable laws are ongoing,” he said.

Investigators are examining how the old IPs and Thianis’s documents were obtained, who arranged the shipment and how the phones were intended to enter the domestic market.