West Bengal: BSF seizes 8 gold biscuits worth over 57 lakhs on international border, one smuggler held

Murshidabad (West Bengal) [India], May 7 (ANI): Border Security Force (BSF) apprehended a smuggler on the India-Bangladesh international border area with 8 gold biscuits worth over 57 lakhs on Saturday, said officials.

The smuggler has been identified as Anikul Islam, a resident of Murshidabad district, said officials.

The smuggler apprehends by BSF under the South Bengal frontier with 8 gold biscuits weighing 993 grams on the international border, with an estimated value of Rs 57,86,584. The incident took place on May 6, in the area of border post-Atrosia, 35 battalions, said officials.

BSF received intelligence input, Army personnel were alerted that a smuggler disguised as a farmer crossed the fence in his field for work and would return with the gold biscuits, said officials.

When the said smuggler returned to the checking gate with his bicycle, army personnel stopped and thoroughly searched him. During the search, army personnel noticed some parts of the bicycle tire bulging, raising suspicions. Upon questioning, the smuggler failed to provide a satisfactory answer and appeared nervous, further arousing suspicion. The Army personnel then opened the tire of the cycle and discovered 8 gold biscuits inside and apprehended the smuggler, said BSF officials.

Upon interrogation, the smuggler confessed that he received the gold biscuits from Sahidul in Bangladesh and was about to hand them over to a smuggler named Asadul upon entering Indian territory, said officials.

The apprehended smuggler and the seized material were handed over to the Customs Office Lalgola for further legal action by the BSF, said officials.

The BSF appeals to the people on the border to report any information related to gold smuggling through their Seema Saathi helpline number 14419. The South Bengal frontier has also issued another number 9903472227 for WhatsApp messages or voice messages related to gold smuggling. The person providing factual information will be rewarded suitably, and their identity will be kept confidential, said BSF officials.