On Sunday afternoon, two Nepalese citizens, Bharat Kumar Agrawal and Rajesh Oli, were apprehended by the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) near the India-Nepal border in West Bengal. The Border Intelligence Team of the 41st Battalion of SSB was conducting routine checks at the New Mechi Bridge in Siliguri when they intercepted a Maruti Suzuki WagonR car traveling from Nepal to India. Upon baggage screening, the team detected and recovered gold and silver items, including a gold bar, chains, pendants, bangles, a bracelet, silver bars, and clubs.
Agrawal, a 68-year-old resident of Indrachowk in Nepal’s Kathmandu, and Oli, a 48-year-old from Nepal’s Jhapa, were unable to provide any documents or explanation for not declaring the gold and silver at the border customs post. The seized items have been handed over to the Customs Office at Panitanki under Section 110 of the Customs Act, 1962, for further legal action. This incident highlights the ongoing issue of gold smuggling into India through Nepal, which is facilitated by the free transit allowed across the border to citizens of both countries.
The SSB has made significant seizures in recent months, including large amounts of cash being taken into Nepal by Indians, as well as narcotics and the apprehension of a Bangladeshi national attempting to enter India without valid documents. Additionally, the SSB jawans recently prevented a human trafficking attempt and rescued a 17-year-old girl from being taken across the border into Nepal. Authorities are also investigating whether the seized ornaments have any antique value, as smuggling of antiques from Nepal is also a concern.
Image for illustration purposes only
📰 Source: Mangalorean News