BSF apprehends three smugglers, seized gold worth over Rs. 74 lakhs at Indo Bangladesh border
Accused posed as farmers to smuggle the gold and brought a tractor to the fencing gate with gold hidden
New Delhi, August 20
The BSF South Bengal Frontier foiled gold smuggling on the Indo-Bangladesh border in Murshidabad district of West Bengal and arrested three smugglers with two gold biscuits.
The officials stated that the seized gold biscuits weigh 1.105 kg and the estimated value is Rs. 75.14 lakhs. The smugglers had hidden the biscuits in a trolley.
The officials added that the intelligence department of BSF gave specific information regarding gold smuggling in the area under the responsibility of Border Outpost India-1. Taking immediate action, the Company Commander sent a special patrol team and alerted all the jawans present on duty.
After this, the jawans searched the tractor coming out of the fencing gate. The driver has been identified as Nekbar (name changed) who is a resident of village Katlamari, district Murshidabad and the tractor also belongs to him.
During the search, the jawans found two gold biscuits hidden on the right side of the axle hub of the trolley wheel. On questioning the driver and laborers present on the tractor, when no satisfactory answer was received, the driver and laborers were arrested and brought to Border Outpost India-1, officials said.
On interrogation, the accused disclosed that he, posing as a farmer, along with two other persons entered through the fencing gate by tractor for cultivation of his land and after taking the consignment of gold from Bangladeshi smugglers and hiding it in the trolley, were returning through the same gate when BSF jawans conducted a search and arrested all the three along with the gold, BSF added.
The three arrested persons and the seized gold biscuits have been handed over to the Customs Department, Berhampur for further action.
DIG A.K. Arya expressed satisfaction over the successful operation by BSF personnel. He emphasized the commitment of BSF to take strict action against smuggling activities. He urged the border residents to report any information related to gold smuggling to BSF's Seema Sathi Helpline No. 14419 or 9903472227 through WhatsApp message or voice message. A suitable reward will be given for providing concrete information and the identity of the informer will be kept confidential.
