'Hacker' arrested over NBR, Ctg Port system breach to facilitate smuggling worth crores

Highlights:

• CTTC arrests the alleged hacker at Dhaka airport
• Police allege Customs, port systems were breached
• Syndicate accused of evading Tk10-12cr in duties
• Seven others arrested in smuggling investigation

The Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit of Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) has arrested a man accused of illegally accessing the National Board of Revenue's (NBR) Customs and Chattogram Port online systems to help a smuggling syndicate clear consignments of foreign liquor and cigarettes worth crores of taka through forged documents and false declarations.

The suspect, Sheikh Sezan, 26, was arrested on 15 July at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport while allegedly attempting to flee to Nepal, police announced today (17 July).

Muhammad Faisal Ahmed, additional commissioner of police (Crime and Operations) of CMP, disclosed the information at a press briefing in Chattogram.

According to Faisal, the arrest is linked to two cases filed with Bandar Police Station over attempts to smuggle 11,676 litres of foreign liquor and 50 lakh sticks of foreign cigarettes into the country by manipulating customs records and evading duties.

Investigators alleged that the syndicate imported the liquor from China by falsely declaring the consignment as duty-free bonded fabric in an attempt to evade Tk10-12 crore in government revenue.

Police described the case as an international smuggling operation involving the alleged compromise of the ASYCUDA World System, the customs clearance platform operated by the NBR.

According to investigators, Sezan provided technical support to the syndicate by exploiting vulnerabilities in both the ASYCUDA World System and the Chattogram Port Authority's online portal.

Faisal said the suspect admitted during preliminary interrogation that he used his information technology skills to gain unauthorised access to user accounts, change passwords and facilitate fraudulent customs clearance procedures.

He said the allegation is also supported by the confessional statement of another arrested suspect, Ashraf Hossain Raju, recorded before a magistrate.

According to digital forensic findings, an unauthorised login was made to the Customs system on 20 May, 2024 using the user ID of a customs official through a mobile internet connection. Investigators alleged that the same credentials were later used to complete letter of credit (LC) registration and activation linked to the cigarette smuggling case.

Faisal said police had earlier raided Sezan's residence in Lohagara, Narail, but failed to arrest him as he had gone into hiding. During the raid, investigators seized a Samsung mobile phone that was allegedly used to access the ASYCUDA World System.

Faisal said Sezan had previously been arrested in several cybercrime investigations involving cloned government websites and forged digital documents, including National Identity Cards, birth certificates, land development tax receipts and Covid-19 vaccination certificates.

Police alleged that Sezan and his associates created fake versions of government service portals, collected citizens' personal information and defrauded people by charging money for fraudulent digital services.

According to police, Sezan has at least seven cybercrime and fraud cases pending against him at different police stations across the country.

Faisal said seven other alleged members of the smuggling syndicate had already been arrested during the investigation.

They include Khaled Hossain Mamun and Bakir Hossain, chairman and director respectively of C&F agent Hafez Trading Private Limited; company employees Khorshed Alam Ripon and Mizan; and alleged associates Ashraf Hossain Raju, Khayez Ahmed Arif and Boro Raju.

All have been produced before the court, he said.

The investigation into the alleged server breach and smuggling network is continuing.

Asked about recent reports of around 250 missing containers at Chattogram Port, Faisal said police had no information on the matter.

"We do not have any idea about this. Customs is looking into the matter," he said.