Sadiq Agro Limited illegally brought cattle and buffaloes from Thailand and Myanmar into Bangladesh through the Cox’s Bazar border. The company also imported small-sized cattle from Bhutan and Nepal, commonly known as Bhutti cattle, and sold them in the local market. Those animals were also smuggled into the country.
The investigation into the money laundering case filed by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has also found that the company imported local cattle and goats and wrongly marketed them as ‘pedigree breeds’ so that they could be sold at inflated prices.
The CID has completed its investigation in the case, accusing the company of laundering Taka 1.33 billion (₹133.55 crore) through smuggling, fraud, misuse of government assets and money laundering.
According to the charge sheet submitted in the court, investigators found evidence of illegal assets worth 14.67 million taka (₹14,667,668). They also found evidence of importing Brahmin cattle without approval, misappropriating about 8.6 million taka (86 lakh) from foreign countries, taking over government canals and roads and misappropriating cattle.