Kolkata: The Border Security Force (BSF) apprehended one Bangladeshi smuggler and seized 40 gold biscuits worth Rs 2.78 crore, which were hidden below the fish boxes in a truck. The Jawans of ICP Petrapole apprehended the smuggler posing as a truck driver on Friday at around 6:30 pm.
The seized gold weighed around 4,667 grams and was valued at Rs 2.78 crore, the police said. The jawans had received some inputs regarding a truck driver smuggling gold from Bangladesh, via ICP Petrapole. Immediately, a search team of jawans was formed as per the instructions of the BSF officials.
The search team stopped a truck, which was carrying fish from Bangladesh to India. Upon searching the truck, a total of 40 gold biscuits were recovered from the bottom of the fish box.
The jawans immediately nabbed the truck driver along with the truck. He was brought to the BSF camp for further questioning. The apprehended smuggler has been identified as Sushankar Das, a resident of Satkhira district, Bangladesh.
During interrogation, the truck driver revealed that he had been driving the truck for 15 years. He said that the truck owner, Safikul Islam, a resident of Satkhira, had loaded the fish into the truck from Roys International, Satkhira. After this, the fish were to be handed over to Baba International, Kolkata, upon arrival in India, the police said. The apprehended smuggler, along with the gold biscuits and the truck, was handed over to the Customs Office, Petrapole, Tentulia.
Talking to the media, the Public Relation Officer, of South Bengal Frontier stated that smugglers try to smuggle in different ways, but due to the vigilance and understanding of BSF jawans, the smugglers are being caught continuously, and their plans are constantly being foiled.
"The BSF urges people living on the border to report any information related to gold smuggling to BSF's Seema Saathi helpline number, 14419. Additionally, South Bengal Frontier has issued another number, 9903472227, on which WhatsApp or voice messages related to gold smuggling can be sent. People who provide concrete information will receive appropriate reward money, and their identity will be kept strictly confidential," the officer said. (ANI)
