Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata

Kolkata, Nov 2: The Border Security Force (BSF) on Sunday arrested a smuggler and seized gold biscuits worth Rs 55.35 lac from his possession along the Indo-Bangladesh Border (IBB) in Murshidabad district, West Bengal.

According to a senior BSF official, troops of the 71 Battalion deployed at the Boyraghat Border Outpost (BOP) acted on a specific intelligence tip-off about an attempt to smuggle gold through their area of jurisdiction.

“At around 10 a.m., the alert troops spotted a man approaching on a motorcycle. Finding his movements suspicious, they stopped and searched him thoroughly,” the official said.

During the search, two gold biscuits and two small gold pieces were found hidden inside the motorcycle’s footrest. The man was then taken to the Boyraghat BOP for questioning.

Preliminary interrogation revealed that the accused, a resident of Pirojpur village under Raghunathganj police station, was allegedly transporting gold smuggled in from Bangladesh.

“The man claimed that the motorcycle had been handed to him by a local person to deliver to another individual, and the gold was already concealed in the vehicle. He was promised Rs 2,000 for the delivery,” the official added.

The seized gold weighed 461.29 grams, with an estimated market value of Rs 55,35,480. Both the arrested smuggler and the confiscated items have been handed over to the concerned authorities for further investigation and legal action.

Praising the vigilance of the personnel, the BSF official said:

“Thanks to our strong intelligence network and alert troops, the BSF maintains a close watch on all illegal cross-border activities, ensuring that such smuggling attempts are foiled effectively.”

Murshidabad, located along a sensitive stretch of the Indo-Bangladesh border, is known as a hotspot for gold, cattle, and narcotics smuggling, and the BSF frequently conducts anti-smuggling operations in the region.