The detective branch of police raided a trader’s house in the Parbatipur area of Rangpur on Wednesday night and seized 1,238 litres of edible oil hoarded under his bed.
The trader bought the oil from dealers of the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) at a low price and stockpiled it to sell illegally at a higher price, said Rangpur’s additional deputy police commissioner Uttam Prasad.
Police detained the house owner Hanif Mia, 58, and supplier Lal Mia, 52, from the spot.
ADC Uttam said the police raided a house near Parbatipur Eidgah under Ward 17 in the city on a tip-off.
The law enforcers seized 144 five-litre bottles of oil and 259 two-litre bottles of oil worth around Taka 99,400.
TCB’s seal was stamped on the bottles.
Legal action will be taken against the detained men, he added.
Police said the government is selling TCB goods through dealers to the low-income people who are hit hard due to coronavirus. But, some unscrupulous businessmen of Rangpur were hoarding these items to sell it at a higher price.
Law enforcers are regularly conducting drives against such traders.
