Court directs CPA to preserve evidence

A Chittagong court yesterday directed the Chittagong Port Authority to preserve all evidence and samples related to the seizure of a barrel of cocaine at Chittagong Port on June 6.

It also directed the CPA, customs intelligence and customs department to help the Detective Branch of police conduct the probe properly. According to the court order, the evidence and seized items would be kept under the supervision of CPA's security department to be protected from rainwater and other harmful things, said Kazi Muttaki Ibne Minan, additional deputy commissioner (prosecution) of Chittagong Metropolitan Police.

It also directed the CPA to take measures like installing sufficient CCTV cameras and not keeping goods near the seized items, said Assistant Commissioner Md Kamruzzaman, the investigation officer.  

The liquid cocaine was found in a barrel that arrived at Chittagong Port on May 8 along with 106 more barrels of sunflower oil from Bolivia via Uruguay. On June 27, a case was filed. Four people were arrested in this regard.