In a continued anti-smuggling drive on the international border, the BSF Meghalaya Frontier troops seized 1,348 cattle worth Rs 2,20,27,400 in the last 18 days along the Indo-Bangla border.
“During the current month, i.e in the last 18 days, the cautious BSF troops deployed along the international border with Bangladesh in Meghalaya have apprehended 1348 cattle heads worth Rs 2,20,27,400,” the BSF said on Saturday.
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In the wee hours of January 17-18, the BSF troops seized 277 cattle heads from the international border in East Jaiñtia Hills district and West Jaiñtia Hills district planned to be smuggled out to Bangladesh.
The BSF said that the vicious circle of recycling of the seized cattle that were auctioned is still continuing.
The Border Security Force (BSF) has again taken up the case that auctioning off the seized cattle should be held away from the border belt.
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“In view of increasing smuggling attempts, the troops have intensified its vigil and operations on the Indo-Bangla border to prevent the nefarious design of trans border criminals,” the BSF Meghalaya frontier said.
The BSF stated that the increase in smuggling attempts in 2019 did not show any sign of decline during the current year, rather it is indicating a phenomenal increase in such attempts.
“The smugglers are continuing their daring bids to cross over the cattle to Bangladesh. The trucks loaded with cattle in large numbers are coming from the neighbouring state Assam. The routes generally adopted by the smugglers are, Khanapara–Jowai-Sonapur, Khanapara-Ladrymbai-Rymbai, Khanapara-Shillong-Pynursla,” the force said.
Temporary ramps were made on National Highways where these trucks are unloaded.
The BSF informed that these cattle were kept in thick forest and the smugglers on appropriate opportunity tried to smuggle them into Bangladesh taking advantage of venerable patches of the unfenced border.
The BSF also continuously foiled the smugglers’ attempts.
In Tura, the cattle smugglers transported large numbers of cattle and are often in possession of a ‘No Objection Certificate’ issued by the local authorities.
The BSF has approached the state authorities to authenticate the genuineness of these certificates.