(District-North 24 Parganas)
South Bengal Frontier, Border Security Force troops have broken the back of the smugglers for some time, while thwarting the smuggling attempts. BSF troops are doing their duties meticulously in highly sensitive areas from the point of view of smuggling and the plans of smugglers are being vandalized continuously. In this sequence, on January 04, 2022, in two incidents, 03 smugglers were apprehended red handed with 17 biscuits of 3147.51 grams of gold and 01 gold bar. The estimated cost of the seized gold biscuits is Rs 1,55,58,167.35/-. The smugglers were trying to bring the Gold biscuits from Bangladesh to India through smuggling from the border area of ​​North 24 Parganas district.
In the first incident, on January 04, 2022, acting on specific information, troops of ICP Petrapole, 179 Battalion, Sector Kolkata, ambushed near the International Boundary. Around 1215 hrs the jawans noticed two suspicious persons on an Apache bike approaching the railway crossing inside the ICP, who were trying to go towards Petrapole market from the cargo complex side. When the troops stopped them and searched them, the smugglers suddenly tried to run away but the vigil troops apprehended both the smugglers without giving them any chance. When BSF troops searched both the smugglers with the help of modern equipment (metal detector), 2.915 kg Gold (15 biscuits & 01 Bar) were recovered from them. The jawans seized all the gold biscuits and took the smugglers into custody for questioning. Identity of both the apprehended smugglers I) Zakirul Ghazi, age – 32 years, Village – Joypur, Police Station – Bangaon, District – North 24 Parganas, West Bengal.
ii) Mohd. Bacchu Khan, Age – 46 years, Village – Ghazipur, Thana – Benapole, District – Jessore, (Bangladesh).
During interrogation, the apprehended smuggler, Zakirul Ghazi revealed that he used to work as an export transporter 5 years ago and is currently working to make license for a forwarding agent. He further revealed that a Bangladeshi resident of Benapole works with Md Sohail to smuggle gold and sell it to Ramesh, resident of Bangaon for which he gets Rs.10,000/- for each smuggling. Today he had brought gold with the help of Md. Bacchu Khan (Bangladeshi truck driver). While crossing the ICP and going to Bangaon, the BSF personnel of the railway crossing caught both of them with gold biscuits.
In another incident, on January 04, 2022 at around 1645 hrs, on the basis of specific information, the troops of Border Out Post Gobardha, 153 Battalion saw a suspicious person who was going towards Baduria Market by bicycle. The jawans chased the person and asked him to stop, but on seeing the BSF troops, he threw two gold biscuits on the road and started running away but the jawans apprehended the smuggler. The weight of the seized gold biscuit is 232.51 grams. The apprehended person has been identified as Shyam Sundar Adhikari, 34 years, S/o-Dinbandhu Adhikari, Village- Sarfarazpur Gobardha, Post Office- Baduria, Police Station- Swaroopnagar, District- North 24 Parganas.
During preliminary interrogation, the apprehended smuggler revealed that he works as a gold carrier for Bolai Mandal and Chandan Dafadar. He revealed that on January 04, 2022 at around 1500 hrs, he had taken 02 gold biscuits from Chandan Dafadar in Gobardha Market which was to be handed over to Hafizul Dafadar (age 40 years, S/o-Ziyad Dafadar) near Sayastnagar, Petrol Pump. He revealed that he had to get 500 rupees for this work.
All the apprehended smugglers and the seized gold biscuits have been handed over to the concerned Customs Office for further legal action.
The Public Relations Officer, South Bengal Frontier expressed happiness over the achievements of the 179 Battalion and 153 Battalion troops, in which they thwarted the smuggling attempts by arresting 03 smugglers and seized 3147.57 grams of gold. He stated that this has been possible only because of the alertness displayed by his jawans on duty. The officer clearly stated that nothing can hide from the eyes of his BSF troops. He also added that he also has an excellent team to give accurate information related to smuggling.