On 15 April 2024, Vigilant troops of Border Outpost Khajibagan, 32 Battalion, BSF under the South Bengal Frontier thwarted the smuggling of gold on the International Border of District Nadia of West Bengal and seized two gold bricks weighing 1.950 kg. The smugglers were trying to smuggle these gold bricks from Bangladesh to India by throwing them over the border fencing. The estimated market value of gold is Rs 1,39,44,450.
According to information received from BSF officials, on April 14, BSF Intelligence Department shared information about the possible smuggling of gold to the Post Commander of the Border outpost Khajibagan that an attempt could be made to throw the gold consignment over the Border fence. On receiving the information, the jawans on duty at the border outpost Khajibagan were put on high alert and a special ambush was laid on the potential suspicious routes. While on duty, the jawans saw 5 people clandestinely moving towards the fencing from the Bangladesh side and approximately the same number of Indian smugglers were moving toward the border fencing from the mango orchards in the opposite direction. The jawan on duty alerted other jawans and continuously kept a close watch on them . At around 0545 hours, miscreants threw a packet across the fencing from the Bangladesh side. As soon as the miscreants from the Indian side proceeded to take the packet, the jawan immediately swung into action and challenged the smugglers who had come to take the gold consignment and ran towards them to catch them. The smugglers ran back towards India side and managed to flee taking advantage of mango orchards. The jawan immediately went and seized the packet and subsequently on opening two gold bricks were recovered from the packet.
The seized gold bricks have been handed over to the Customs Office, Banpur for further legal action.
Public Relations Officer of BSF, South Bengal Frontier, A.K Arya, DIG expressed happiness over this achievement of the jawans. He said that notorious smugglers trap poor and innocent people by luring them with small amounts of money. Notorious trafficking gangs are not directly involved in crimes like smuggling, so they target poor people. He appealed to the people living on the border to contact BSF’s Seema Sathi helpline number. If they get any information related to gold smuggling then you can give information to BSF on number 14419. Apart from this, South Bengal Frontier has also issued another number 9903472227, on which WhatsApp messages or voice messages related to gold smuggling can also be sent. A suitable reward amount will be given to the person providing concrete information and his identity will be kept confidential.