6 days ago
Border force catches smuggler in Bengal, Rs 62 lakh worth of gold seized
The Border Security Force (BSF) on Tuesday thwarted a gold smuggling attempt near the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district, seizing gold worth over Rs 62 lakh. One smuggler was arrested in the operation carried out by the 102nd Battalion, South Bengal Frontier, at the Ghojadanga border outpost in North 24 Parganas, officials on a tip-off, BSF jawans launched a targeted checking operation early morning on August 5. At around 6:30 am, they stopped a man riding a bicycle carrying two buckets filled with fish feed. Upon inspection, a suspicious packet was found concealed inside one of the questioned, the man failed to give any convincing answers about the contents of the packet," a BSF official said.
Upon opening the packet, six gold pieces of varying sizes were recovered, weighing a total of 607.66 grams and valued at Rs 62,68, arrested individual was immediately detained and taken to the border outpost for further interrogation. During questioning, he admitted to receiving the gold from across the Bangladesh border and was promised Rs 2,000 to deliver it further through local officials said the timely intelligence input and swift action by the troops prevented the gold from being circulated further through local smuggling networks."This successful operation not only stopped the illegal movement of gold but also helped us identify several links in the smuggling chain," a BSF spokesperson seized gold and the arrested man have been handed over to the concerned authorities for further legal action. Further investigation into the matter is underway to trace other individuals connected to the a known smuggling hotspot due to its proximity to the international border, has witnessed several such attempts in the past. The BSF remains on high alert in the region to curb cross-border smuggling activities, the official have reiterated their commitment to maintaining tight security along the border and urged local residents to report any suspicious movements in the area.- Ends
