National Board of Revenue intelligence units seized 2,359 litres of undocumented foreign liquor and beer during a three-hour raid at the Kingfisher restaurant in Dhaka's Gulshan area, starting at approximately 12:30 am on Sunday (early Monday). The joint operation exposed a hidden chamber concealed behind a billboard, alongside stocks kept in the establishment's display areas and warehouses, which authorities found unregistered in official ledgers.
Details of the operation were formally disclosed on Monday afternoon during a press briefing held at the Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigation office in Kakrail, Dhaka. Additional Director General Rezvi Ahmed briefed reporters, accompanied by senior Value Added Tax and tax intelligence officials. The raid itself was executed by a coordinated team comprising four intelligence wings of the National Board of Revenue, including the Tax Intelligence and Investigation Unit, the VAT Audit, Intelligence and Investigation Directorate, the Central Intelligence Cell, and the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate, with tactical support provided by members of the Special Response Battalion-1.
Elaborating on the operation, Rezvi Ahmed stated that the establishment attempted to intimidate raiding officials using domestic pets and withheld cooperation regarding the hidden chamber behind the billboard, refusing to hand over keys and employing various delaying tactics. Although no arrests were made at the scene as physical resistance was avoided, authorities confirmed that legal action will be initiated upon the conclusion of a comprehensive investigation. Officials also noted that the identities of the restaurant's four directors are currently under rigorous scrutiny.
The crackdown was launched acting on classified intelligence indicating that high-tariff goods, particularly alcoholic beverages, were being procured and retailed through customs evasion. Investigators aimed to verify the legitimate origin of the products, determine whether Value Added Tax had been evaded, check if sales proceeds were properly declared in income tax returns, and investigate potential connections to money laundering. Customs intelligence logs confirmed the seizure of 826 litres of various branded spirits, including Chivas Regal, Black Label, Red Label, Jack Daniel's, Gold Label, Gordon's Gin, and Absolut Vodka, alongside 1,533 litres of local and international beer brands such as Hunter and Heineken.
Preliminary estimations place the market value of the confiscated inventory at approximately 9.19 million Taka, which swells to an estimated 40.28 million Taka when applicable duties and taxes are factored in. The National Board of Revenue emphasized that the restaurant is not registered as an authorized liquor importer and failed to present any valid invoices, challans, or statutory documentation for trading the alcoholic items during the raid. Meanwhile, Special Response Battalion-1 Captain Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Neyamul Halim Khan confirmed that his tactical team was deployed to secure the perimeter and ensure the safety of government officials, while Dhaka Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner for the Gulshan Division Mohammad Ruhul Kabir Khan stated that no formal case had been filed at Gulshan Police Station as of Monday night.
