On 1st April 2024, ICP Petrapole, one of the most sensitive areas from the point of view of smuggling but BSF is continuously thwarting Gold smugglers’ plans with their vigilant duty. In the same sequence, Vigilant Jawans of ICP Petrapole, 145 Battalion, BSF under South Bengal Frontier apprehended a driver with two silver-coated gold Kada hidden in the cabin of a truck and a passenger with two cylindrical-shaped gold paste hidden in his rectum. When both driver and passenger were trying to smuggle these gold kada and gold paste from Bangladesh to India through ICP Petrapole. The seized gold kada and gold paste weigh approximately 936.870 grams and the estimated value is Rs 65,00,004/-.
According to the BSF spokesperson, In the First Incident, troops of ICP Petrapole,145 Battalion received information of gold smuggling by an empty inbound truck registration No. WB-25D-6396. On getting information, troops became alert and on 1 April at 0530 am, the checking party intercepted the suspected truck at the main gate of ICP Petrapole. After initial checking, the truck was brought to the vehicle parking area of ICP Petrapole for a thorough search. During through Search, 02 pieces of SilverCoated Gold Kada in rectangular shape were recovered inside the cabin of the truck concealed under the driver seat cover. In the Second Incident on the same day, At about 0720 hrs, an inbound passport passenger namely Mohammad Ali Abdulla Kadar arrived at the BSF frisking point of ICP Petrapole for security clearance, Troops carried out frisking of the passenger and noticed some metallic object in his lower body part. suspected passenger was taken to a nearby washroom and carried out extensive frisking. During frisking, 02 pieces of cylindrical shape containing gold in paste form were recovered from his lower body cavity which was hidden inside the rectum. troops seized the gold and arrested the passenger and driver.
The arrested Truck Driver has been identified as Sahidul Mondal, S/o Majnu Mondal, Vill-Charaktala, Distt-North 24 Pargans(W.B) and a passenger identified as Mohamad Ali Abdulla Kadar, S/o- Abdulla Kadar Fakir Mohamad, Distt-Mumbai City, State- Maharastra,
During the Introgation During questioning, Sahidul Mondal(Truck Driver) revealed that he works as a transport truck driver. He had taken the loaded truck of export goods from India to Bangladesh 4 days ago. Rony Seikh resident of Benapole Bangladesh offered him 5 thousand rupees for delivering a gold consignment crossing over to India, he agreed and hid gold under his seat in the cabin. he further said that After crossing, he was supposed to hand over this gold to an unknown person. but BSF troops arrested him with gold
Mohammad Ali Abdulla Kadar( Passenger) revealed that he went to Oman Country for the work of hand embroidery on 27/03/2024. There a man namely Safiq Seikh residual of Bangladesh gave him 02 pieces of gold in cylindrical shapes containing gold in paste form and was supposed to hand it over to an unknown person in India. After getting the consignment, he came to Bangladesh. he said that when he reached at BSF frisking point of ICP Petrapole, he was caught by BSF troops with 02 pieces of gold paste in cylindrical shape. he would get Rs 10,000/ after the successful delivery of the gold
The arrested smugglers and seized gold have been handed over to Custom Office, Petrapole for further legal proceedings.
The Public Relations Officer of South Bengal Frontier has expressed happiness over this achievement of the jawans. He further said that notorious smugglers trap poor and innocent people by luring them with little money. Notorious trafficking gangs are not directly involved in crimes like smuggling, so they target poor people. He has appealed to the people living on the border that if they get any information related to gold smuggling, they can give this information to BSF’s Seema Sathi helpline number 14419. Apart from this, South Bengal Frontier has also issued another number 9903472227. WhatsApp messages or voice messages related to gold smuggling can also be sent. An appropriate reward amount will be given to the person giving concrete information and his identity will be kept secret.
