Shillong, Jul 30: The Border Security Force (BSF) apprehended 116 Bangladeshi nationals in Meghalaya alone over the last three months, the force said in a release today.
From April 25 to July 25, the BSF Meghalaya also detained 34 Indian nationals along with the Bangladeshis “for their involvement in illegal infiltration and smuggling activities.” Four of these individuals were touts – two Bangladeshi and two Indian – who were “actively facilitating cross-border movement”.
The BSF also reported a total of 33 significant seizures during this period wherein 35 individuals (23 Indians and 12 Bangladeshis) were apprehended and goods worth more than Rs 39 lakh were seized. Recently, the BSF Meghalaya seized mobile displays worth more than Rs 31 lakh, which, it said, “seems to be a new trend in smuggling.”
The border force said that it worked closely with the Meghalaya police in its operations against cross-border crime.
The BSF also intensified its anti-smuggling operations, resulting in the seizure of contraband items and 622 cattle, collectively valued at approximately Rs 7.5 crore. The confiscated items include yaba tablets, marijuana, liquor, cosmetics, garments and other materials intended for illegal trans-border trafficking.
According to the Public Relations Officer of BSF Meghalaya, preliminary interrogations of arrested touts and illegal entrants have yielded vital intelligence. These have been shared with concerned enforcement agencies for coordinated follow-up actions aimed at dismantling organised trans-border crime syndicates.
“In addition to maintaining security, BSF Meghalaya remains committed to fostering goodwill among border populations through initiating outreach programmes aimed at addressing the basic needs of residents in remote border areas,” the release said, adding that it has also continued to extend medical assistance to civilians in distress, such as providing first aid to tourists and evacuating critically ill patients in BSF ambulances.
To further bolster coordination and address emerging cross-border concerns, the BSF Meghalaya has sustained regular field-level meetings with Border Guards Bangladesh. These engagements are focused on curbing infiltration, identifying smuggling routes and countering criminal elements, thereby strengthening bilateral trust and cooperation.
