BSF seizes gold valued at Rs 1.28 crore close to Indo-B’desh border, smuggler arrested

Kolkata  (The Uttam Hindu): The Border Security Force (BSF) on Monday claimed to have arrested a gold smuggler and two carriers with 1.67 kg gold close to the Indo-Bangladesh Border (IBB) in the Nadia district of West Bengal. N K Pandey, DIG and spokesperson, South Bengal Frontier, BSF said that the estimated value of the gold is Rs 1.28 crore. "Troops of the Puttikhali Border Outpost received intelligence inputs regarding an attempt to transport gold, smuggled from Bangladesh, along a road close to the IBB. A special ambush was laid accordingly. The jawans soon intercepted a motorcycle with two suspicious-looking persons,” DIG Pandey said.

He added that during questioning, they confessed that they were carriers of smuggled gold and were to collect a consignment from a smuggler travelling on a scooterette from Gede. “The troops spotted this person soon on the Majharia-Gajna Road and stopped him. A search led to the discovery of three packets wrapped in black duct tape. The packets contained 12 gold biscuits and two gold bars. All three were arrested and taken to the Puttikhali BOP,” he said. He added that furing interrogation, the smuggler allegedly confessed that he collected gold consignments from across the IBB and handed them over to carriers waiting several km away. “He received a good sum of money for every package that he delivered, the smuggler claimed. The carriers claimed that they carried the packets to the Ranaghat railway station and Raghunandapur village and handed them over to unknown persons. For every delivery, they would receive Rs 500 each,” he said. DIG Pandey added that the three accused persons, along with the seized gold, have been handed over to the Customs Department in Majdia for further legal processing.

He also commended the role of the troops while affirming the BSF's commitment to combat smuggling activities, even during such tough times when all attention is towards attempts to cross the IBB into India, due to the goings on in the neighbouring country. The DIG also encouraged local residents to report any information related to gold smuggling through BSF's Seema Sathi Helpline 14419 or WhatsApp number 9903472227. He assured that the informers would be rewarded and their identities kept confidential.