Border Security Force (BSF) personnel successfully foiled a gold smuggling attempt in West Bengal and apprehended four Bangladeshi smugglers in the process. The BSF reported that the gold cache was discovered concealed on the lower bodies of the individuals involved in the smuggling operation.
A team of officers from the 145 Battalion of the BSF, stationed at ICP Petrapole, which serves as a land border crossing near Bangladesh, played a crucial role in the interception. The security team seized a significant quantity of gold, including 23 gold biscuits, four gold bracelets, and one gold ring. The total weight of the seized items amounted to 3,191.22 grams.
These illicit goods were being smuggled from Bangladesh into India and were estimated to be valued at approximately Rs 1.86 crore, according to an official statement released by the BSF. The statement further noted that the gold was confiscated in separate incidents during the routine search of the Bangladeshi nationals.
The four individuals involved in the smuggling attempt were identified as Belal Hossain, Azom Khan, Mohammed Kabir, and Jubida Khanam. The statement from the BSF elaborated on the distribution of the seized gold, stating that "a total of 23 gold biscuits (including a biscuit in two pieces) were recovered from Belal Hossain, six from Azom Khan, and 11 from Mohammed Kabir. In a fourth incident, Jubida Khanam was found with four unique gold bracelets and one deformed gold ring."
The statement also highlighted that each male smuggler had been promised 10,000 Bangladeshi Takka, while the female smuggler was promised 5,000 Bangladeshi Taka for their involvement in the operation.
Upon further investigation and questioning, it was revealed that the accused were residents of Dhaka, who admitted to transporting the smuggled gold items. The BSF also noted that the individuals confessed to having received the gold from various sources in Dhaka and had been instructed to deliver the contraband to the New Market Area in Kolkata.
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