Kolkata, Feb 20 (IANS) The Border Security Force (BSF) claims to have arrested a smuggler with 12 gold biscuits hidden inside his rectum along the Indo-Bangladesh Border (IBB) in the North 24-Parganas district of West Bengal.
The biscuits weighed 1.406 kg and are valued at over Rs 1.24 crore, the BSF claimed.
“Troops of the 143 Bn BSF, deployed at the Bithari Border Outpost, acted on a specific intelligence input regarding an attempt to smuggle gold from Bangladesh to India and started searching people moving close to the IBB. Around 5.45 pm on Wednesday, they stopped a man and moved a handheld metal detector across his body. A distinct beep was detected, though there was no metal in his clothing or exterior part of his body. The BSF personnel then escorted him to the Bithari BOP for interrogation. Initially, he feigned ignorance, but on being questioned repeatedly, he broke down and confessed that he had gold biscuits hidden up his anal cavity,” said N K Pandey, DIG and spokesperson, South Bengal Frontier, BSF.
The man was immediately shifted to the nearest government hospital at Sarapul where he underwent an X-ray. The frames clearly indicated the presence of a foreign substance inside his rectum. Doctors got into the act and removed a condom from there with 12 gold biscuits inside, he said.
“The value of the gold is estimated to be Rs 1,24,63,424. The arrested smuggler has been handed over to the concerned department along with the seized gold biscuits for further legal proceedings. This is the third major gold seizure by our alert troops of the South Bengal Frontier in less than a week. Since February 14, they have seized gold worth more than Rs 5 crore. The BSF is fully committed to stopping smuggling and other illegal activities along the border. With the help of its strong intelligence network, vigilant jawans and modern equipment, no matter how many new methods the smugglers adopt, the BSF is always there to foil their every move,” the DIG added.
He urged border residents to help maintain peace along the IBB by providing information related to gold smuggling to the BSF’s Seema Sathi helpline number 14419 or through a WhatsApp or voice message on 9903472227. Those providing concrete information will be suitably rewarded and their identities will not be revealed, he said.
–IANS
jayanta/dan
