With curbs eased, smuggling rises along Indo-Bangla border

SHILLONG: Ever since the state government started lifting the curbs on movement in view of COVID-19 by degrees, smugglers have started frequenting the Indo-Bangla border to execute illegal activities.
A statement from the Border Security Force (BSF) on Friday insinuated the same. “Lockdown, frequent seizures by the BSF troops indicate that attempt of smuggling of cattle/FICN/contraband items at international border are on the increase. Desperation on the part of cattle smugglers is seen as they are making very daring bids to cross over the cattle to Bangladesh but due to alert BSF troops, they have not been successful,” the statement said.
It was on Friday that the BSF troops, deployed at a mobile check post on Sonapur Bridge on NH-6 in East Jaintia Hills, reportedly intercepted cattle-loaded trucks. Subsequently, a total of 97 heads of cattle, worth more than Rs 55 lakh, were seized along with two Indian nationals. The cattle, according to the BSF, were being smuggled from India to Bangladesh.
The BSF said that illegal activities along the international border in the state have seen an abrupt increase after the ease in lockdown.