North Korean diplomat expelled from Dhaka after smuggling US$1.7m gold bullion in his suitcase
Bangladesh has expelled a senior North Korean diplomat after he was caught smuggling US$1.7 million worth of gold, government officials said.
Bangladesh has expelled a senior North Korean diplomat after he was caught smuggling US$1.7 million worth of gold, government officials said.
Son Young-nam, the First Secretary of the North Korean embassy in Dhaka, tried to sneak in 27 kilograms of gold bullion in his luggage last Friday by using diplomatic immunity.
Son, who was flying in from Singapore that day, was caught by armed police and customs officers. The gold was confiscated by security authorities at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
North Korea is under tight international sanctions that restrict its ability to move money through conventional means. Bangladesh also does not allow gold weighing more than 2kg to be carried in and local customs authorities recently said they have seen a big rise in illegal gold movement.
Son was released on Friday, in accordance with diplomatic protocol under the Vienna Convention, but both countries asked to withdraw him from the embassy.
The diplomat left Bangladesh on Sunday evening, just hours before the Bangladeshi government issued an order expelling him, according to an official who asked not to be named.
North Korea has apologised to the Bangladesh government for the embarrassing incident, withNorth Korean ambassador Ri Song-hyon being summoned by Bangladesh’s foreign ministry.