Customs officer in jail in forgery case

A 44-year-old customs clearance officer will serve the next five years behind bars after the Supreme Appeals Court upheld his forgery conviction.

He was earlier handed down five years in jail by the High Criminal Court for selling three visas allotted for a restaurant to three labourers without the consent of its owner.

The defendant reportedly stole the passkey of the restaurant owner that she was using to log into the Labour Market Regulatory Authority website. The idea popped up on his mind after an Asian man offered him BD850 to find a work permit for his friend. His first attempt proved successful, thus he sold another two work visas to two seekers.

When the owner of the restaurant found that new work permits were issued without her approval, she filed a complaint at police, who tracked one of those who received the job permit from the defendant.