Ten fraudsters held for robbing people of Tk11 crore

Dhaka Metropolitan Detective Branch (DB) of police has arrested 10 people for their alleged involvement in selling fake gold bars, magnetic pillars and coins.

This gang members impersonating customs officers, nuclear scientists and retired army officers embezzled Tk 11 crore.

Sanjit Kumar Roy, Joint Commissioner (South) of Detective Branch (DB) police, gave this information at a press conference at DMP Media Centre on Monday.

He said a female victim was forced to give money to the fraudsters by selling her two flats in Bhatara and Bashundhara.

Then a team conducted separate raids on Dhaka’s Airport and Dakshinkhan areas on Sunday night and arrested 10 of them.

During the arrest, the DB team also seized four fake gold bars, a gold bar-making machine, copper wire, wire melting chemical, fake ID cards of Human Rights and Civil Aviation.

The arrestees are Bashar Molla (53), Sheikh Sohag Hossain Mintu (33), Deen Mohammad (41), Jewel Shikder (46), Mozammel Khan alias Akash (40), Sheikh Ali Akbar (57), Jamal Faraji (55), Sohel Shikder (30), Billal Hossain (32) and Shahriar Iqbal (25).

In primary interrogation, DB came to know that the arrestees were active members of an organized fraud circle that sells fake gold bars, magnetic pillars, coins, and customs goods.

Arrested Bashar used to lure common people to buy gold bars at low prices by introducing himself as APS of Customs Director, said Sanjit.

The joint Commissioner also said Sohag meet buyers impersonating a customs director admin to gain trust. Deen Mohammad and Jewel make fake gold bars while Mozammel introduces himself as a chemist and nuclear expert and Ali presents himself as a retired army major.

Jamal, Sohel, Billal and Shahriar used to collect buyers and take them to the so-called nuclear scientists. The so-called nuclear scientist then pretend to be testing magnetic pillars, coins and gold bars to certify them as genuine, he said.

The fraudsters played different characters and robbed people off Tk11 crores, said this official.

He said they used to display fake ID cards. To gain the credibility they organized parties in reputed hotels and get there by using a luxurious private car. They used to determine the price of gold bars, magnetic pillars and coins by pointing out their accuracy.

There are several cases against the arrested people with different police stations including Dhaka.