BSF seize smuggled goods

Shillong, Aug 8 (UNI) The Border Security Force (BSF) seized smuggled items worth over Rs two crore in the Meghalaya-Asom sector bordering Bangladesh in the past three months.

From May to June this year, smugglers taking advantage of the monsoon had increased their illegal activities along the international border with Bangladesh in the Meghalaya-Asom sector, said a senior BSF Official here.

In the two sectors, goods worth Rs 2.29 crore were seized while being smuggled out of the country. Goods worth over Rs 22 lakh were seized while being pushed into the country.

Forest product accounted for the highest amount in the Meghalaya sector in terms of seizure.

In the Asom stretch, it was livestock seizure, which accounted for the highest amount.

'' Bangladeshi criminals in connivance with their Indian counterpart used the swollen rivers to dump timber to flow down to Bangladesh, '' the official added.

The 17 Battalion of the BSF seized 108 wooden logs from the Mahadev River in South Garo Hills, worth Rs 3.5 lakh on August 4 last, the official said. The total seizure (forest product) in the Meghalaya sector was over Rs 68.6 lakh, which was being smuggled to Bangladesh.

In this sector, other items seized were sugar (Rs 2.62 lakh), Narcotics (Rs 32.09 lakh) amongst other items while being smuggled to Bangladesh.

In the Asom sector, livestock worth Rs 31.8 lakh were seized apart from timber (Rs 7.9 lakh), sugar (Rs 1.7 lakh), narcotics (Rs 6.6 lakh).

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