Kolkata: In the past 30 days, the Border Security Force (BSF) has seized 24 kg smuggled gold from near the India-Bangladesh border outposts in South Bengal, according to data released by the border guard agency.
The estimated value of the total gold seized, according to the BSF officials, is around Rs 27.50 crore.
Of the total smuggled gold seized by the BSF, the maximum seizure was made near the border outposts in North 24 Parganas district, for where gold worth Rs 12 crore has been seized.
The latest such seizure was made by the BSF last Thursday, when the jawans of the 84th Battalion seized six gold bars from an India-Bangladesh bordering village in Nadia district. The market value of the seized gold is estimated to be over Rs 4.50 crore.
The arrested person in this connection confessed that that he secured the gold from a Bangladesh-based agent and was supposed to hand it over to a person in Nadia district against a hefty commission.
The investigating agencies have identified a common pattern in such cases of gold smuggling. In most cases, the consignments, both in forms of biscuits and bars, are procured from Dubai and then subsequently routed to different bordering areas in West Bengal via Bangladesh.
After the consignments reach the bordering villages, the carriers take them to their final destinations.
The investigating officers said that these smuggled gold consignments are mainly for supply to small and medium gold jewellery merchants mushrooming in central Kolkata.
The smuggled gold is of high demand among them since it is available at a far cheaper price than the gold available via legal process.
(IANS)
