BSF Foils Smuggling Attempt Along Indo-Bangladesh Border Ahead of Eid

In a major crackdown on cross-border smuggling, the Border Security Force (BSF) seized 16 cattle heads, 851 bottles of Phensedyl syrup, 12.15 kg of ganja, and other contraband along the Indo-Bangladesh Border (IBB) in West Bengal. 

The operation covered key smuggling-prone districts, including Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, and North 24 Parganas.

According to N K Pandey, DIG and Spokesperson of the South Bengal Frontier, security has been intensified along the IBB as smuggling activities tend to rise before Eid due to increased demand for cattle in Bangladesh.

The heightened vigilance paid off when a BSF jawan from the 88 Battalion, stationed at the Harishchandrapur Border Outpost in Malda, detected a group of three to four smugglers attempting to push cattle across the border under the cover of darkness. Acting swiftly, he alerted his team and confronted the intruders, instructing them to stop. However, the smugglers, armed with sharp weapons, threatened him. In response, the jawan fired two rounds from his non-lethal Pump Action Gun (PAG), forcing the miscreants to flee.

A subsequent search of the area led to the recovery of seven cattle heads in Harishchandrapur, with additional seizures of three cattle at Agra BOP, two elsewhere in Malda, and four in Nadia district.

DIG Pandey confirmed that the seized cattle will be electronically tagged and handed over to the Dhyan Foundation, while the confiscated Phensedyl and narcotics have been transferred to the relevant authorities for legal action.

He reiterated the BSF’s unwavering commitment to curbing cross-border smuggling, acknowledging that while smugglers continuously devise new methods to evade detection, the force’s strategic operations and constant vigilance ensure that illicit activities are thwarted.