The Border Security Force (BSF) has seized 50 gold biscuits worth ₹4.3 crore and arrested a civil engineer involved in smuggling activities near the Indo-Bangladesh border in West Bengal’s North 24-Parganas district. The seizure occurred after a tense confrontation in the Anchalpara village, located about 2.7 kilometers behind the Tentulberia Border Outpost (BOP).
Engineer Arrested While Smuggling Gold Biscuits
Acting on specific intelligence, the 5 Bn BSF team conducted a search in Anchalpara village, where they spotted a man attempting to flee through the back door of his house after seeing the approaching troops. Despite multiple warnings, the man tried to break through the BSF cordon, forcing a jawan to fire a blank round. Panicked, the man surrendered, leading to his arrest.
Upon searching the accused, BSF troops recovered a black cloth belt wrapped in a synthetic carry bag containing 50 gold biscuits. The engineer, later identified as the suspect, was taken into custody for further questioning.
Confession Reveals Smuggling Operation
During interrogation, the engineer confessed that he had turned to smuggling as a means of easy money. He admitted to receiving gold consignments from across the Indo-Bangladesh Border (IBB), storing them briefly, and then handing them over to an unknown carrier. For each delivery, he claimed to receive ₹500 to ₹1,000.
The gold biscuits were received by the engineer early on Monday, but before he could hand them over, the BSF swooped in, preventing the delivery. The suspect, along with the gold, was handed over to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in Kolkata for further investigation and legal action.
BSF Calls for Public Cooperation
DIG N K Pandey, spokesperson for South Bengal Frontier BSF, praised the BSF team for their swift action and urged the local population to assist in preventing gold smuggling. He encouraged people to report any related activities through the BSF’s Seema Sathi Helpline at 14419 or via WhatsApp at 9903472227. He also assured that informants would be rewarded and their identities kept confidential.
A Big Win Against Border Smuggling
The successful operation highlights the ongoing efforts of the BSF to curb illegal cross-border activities, including gold smuggling. With the arrest of a civil engineer and the seizure of a significant haul of gold, the BSF has sent a strong message against smuggling operations along the Indo-Bangladesh border.
