On 21st May, 2022 South Bengal Frontier (BSF) apprehended 03 smugglers with 568 bottles of Phensidyl from different places from their area of responsibility. The estimated value of the seized articles is Rs 1,06,200/-. All these Phensedyl bottles were being taken from India to Bangladesh.
In the first incident, on 21st May 2022 at around 0500 hrs the troops of Border Out Post Rajanagar, 117 Battalion, acting on specific and accurate information, succeeded in apprehending two Indian smugglers. On search, 559 bottles of Phensedyl were recovered from them. The two apprehended smugglers have been identified as Safikul Islam (age 34 years), father – Ghulam Rasool Mandal village – Ramchandrapur, Post – Qazipara, Police Station – Raninagar, District – Murshidabad and Rajesh Shaikh, father – Muzamil Shaikh, village – Dubapara, Post – Kazipara, PS – Raninagar district-Murshidabad.
The smugglers revealed that they had taken these Phensedyl bottles from Basudev Barobigha, Father- Anand Mandal, Village- Khairtala, Post- Char Munshipara, PS-Raninagar. These Phensedyl bottles were to be handed over to Ripon Shaikh, Father-Kalam Shaikh, Village Yusufpur, Post-Charghat District Rajshahi (Bangladesh) after crossing the duty line of BSF.
In another incident, the troops of Border Out Ppost Hakimpur, 112 Battalion, Sector Kolkata, received input on 21st May, 2022, carried out a search operation in the morning near the International Boundary. Meanwhile, at around 0555 hrs, troops of BSF saw a red colored suspicious motorcycle coming from Swaroopda Bazar side which was trying to go towards Hakimpur village. When the motorcycle rider was searched, 09 bottles of Phensedyl were recovered from the cavity made inside the filter box of the motorcycle. The motorcycle rider (smuggler) has been identified as Murtza Shahji, age- 35 years, Village + Post- Hakimpur, Police Station- Swaroopnagar, District- North 24 Parganas, West Bengal.
During interrogation, the apprehended smuggler revealed that he works as a smuggler for the last few days. He further revealed that today (21 May) he has taken all these Phensidyl bottles from Sharraf Shahji who is a resident of village – Hakimpur, PS – Swaroop Nagar. After crossing the BSF duty line, it was to be handed back to Sharraf Shahji. For which he would have got a total of Rs 1350 at the rate of Rs 150 per bottle.
The apprehended smugglers and the seized items have been handed over to the concerned Police Station/Customs Office for further legal action.
The officers of both the battalions expressed happiness over the achievement of their jawans. Officers stated that Police Officers and other agencies should co-operate with BSF to stop smuggling of their area in ending smuggling and getting strict punishment for those involved in smuggling.