(District– North 24 Parganas)
On April 13, 2022, BSF troops under South Bengal Frontier proving their commitment to duty, once again thwarted the plans of smugglers and arrested 02 smugglers with 16.997 kg of silver jewellery on the spot. The estimated value of the seized silver is Rs.12,44,837/-. Smugglers were trying to smuggle these silver jewellery from India to Bangladesh.
On 13th April, 2022, the troops of Border Outpost Ghojadanga, 153 Battalion, Sector Kolkata carried out a search operation. Around 1100 hrs, search party noticed the movement of two suspects near the International Border (IB) who were trying to contact the Bangladeshi youth across the border. On seeing the BSF jawans, both the suspected youths got panicked and tried to run away from the spot. The alert troops caught the suspects without giving them any chance. On strict interrogation by the search party, both the suspects revealed the silver packet hidden in the house near the border. Soon the BSF search party seized the silver packet hidden in the house and took both the smugglers into custody for questioning. The apprehended smuggler has been identified as Kartik Roy, age – 47 years and Mostakin Sardar, age – 23 years, residents of Village – Gojadanga, Post Office- Panitar, Police Station – Basirhat, District – North 24 Parganas, West Bengal.
During questioning the apprehended smugglers Karthik Roy and Mostakin Sardar told that both are Indian citizens and for the last few years they are involved in smuggling of gold and silver in Ghojadanga area. Further, Mostakin Sardar told that he works as a gold and silver smuggler career for Mostafa Molla. Mostafa Molla lures the people of Gojadanga and the surrounding border areas into smuggling of gold and silver with money. He further told that he used to take gold from Bangladeshi smugglers and get it paid in the form of silver.
During interrogation, another smuggler Karthik Roy told that last night a smuggler named Asraf Sardar (Village – Gojdanga) had given him four packets of silver jewellery which were to be handed over to Bangladeshi smuggler today (April 13). But the BSF took him into custody on the spot.
The apprehended smugglers and the seized silver jewellery have been handed over to Custom Office Ghojadanga for further legal proceedings.
Jawahar Singh Negi, Commanding Officer, 153 Battalion expressed happiness over the achievement of the jawans in thwarting smuggling attempts. He said that this has been possible only because of the alertness displayed by his jawans on duty. The officer clearly said that nothing can be hide from the eyes of his troops. He also said that he has an excellent team to provide accurate information related to smuggling, which keeps a close watch on the criminal activities taking place in the border area.
