Cyber criminal held for hacking Customs server for smuggling

The police have arrested a youth named Sheikh Sejan (26) on charges of illegally hacking into the National Board of Revenue (NBR) Customs server to release foreign liquor and cigarettes using forged documents, attempting multi-million duty evasion. This fraud was committed by exploiting weaknesses in the technological security system of customs. There are seven cases against the arrested Sheikh Sejan in different police stations of the country on charges of cybercrime and fraud. Earlier, he was arrested by the CMP and the Counter-Terrorism Unit of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police on charges of forging various government digital services, including cloning government websites, national identity cards, birth registration, land development tax receipts, and vaccine certificates.

This sensational information was confirmed on Friday, July 17, 2026, by CMP Additional Commissioner (Crime) Muhammad Faisal Ahammed. Earlier, on Wednesday, July 15, at around 6:00 PM, a special team of the Counter Terrorism Unit of the Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) arrested him from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the capital while he was trying to flee to Nepal.

Police said the organized syndicate had declared the import of duty-free fabrics from China under the bond facility, but behind that declaration, it imported 11,676 liters of foreign liquor in one container and 5 million sticks of foreign cigarettes in another container. Later, by creating fake customs documents and fake Letters of Credit (LC), they illegally entered the Asycuda World system of Chittagong Customs House under the control of NBR. At the same time, attempts were made to release the two products from the port by completing various activities on the CPA portal of the Chittagong Port Authority. The police claimed that an attempt was made to evade at least 10 to 12 crore BDT of government revenue.

Information on Sheikh Sejan's technological involvement was found in the investigation. During primary interrogation, he confessed to providing technical assistance in fraudulent customs activities, changing passwords, and using others' user IDs by taking advantage of the weak security system of the Asycuda World system and the CPA portal. Earlier, the involvement of Sheikh Sejan also came up in the statement given under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure by Ashraf Hossain alias Raju, who was arrested earlier in the same case. Police claimed that the analysis of digital evidence found in the investigation showed that on May 20, 2024, an unauthorized entry was made into the user ID of a customs official using the internet connection of a mobile operator. Later, using the same ID, the registration and activation of the cigarette import LC-I were completed.

CMP Additional Commissioner Muhammad Faisal Ahammed informed that Sheikh Sejan was arrested from Shahjalal International Airport after finding information about his involvement in the investigation of two cases filed at Bandar Police Station in Chittagong city.

Earlier, a raid was conducted at his house in Lohagara upazila of Narail to arrest Sheikh Sejan, but he was absconding. However, a Samsung mobile phone registered in his name was seized from his house. Police said technological analysis showed information of illegal access to the Asycuda World system using that mobile phone. There are also allegations that he and his associates used to create fake platforms resembling government websites to collect citizens' information and embezzle money from common people through digital fraud.
//DBTech/Local Coresspondent/EDP//