Agartala: In the fight against the menace of trans-border smuggling in the state of Tripura, the Border Security Force (BSF) apprehended one smuggler and seized four gold biscuits worth Rs 36.6 lakhs on Saturday.
Based on specific BSF input, an ambush was laid by BSF troops in the area of Nischintpur.
"Ambush party observed movement of two suspects in between the international boundary and the border fence. The movement of suspects was kept under surveillance by BSF troops deployed at the border Observation Post. Suspects moving from the Bangladesh side to the Indian side negotiated the border fence and entered the nearby forest area but the alert BSF Ambush party successfully apprehended one suspect.
However, another suspect managed to escape towards the Indian village Nischintapur taking advantage of dense vegetation", said a BSF official.
He said that on spot questioning the apprehended person revealed his identity as Prashant Rai (36) a resident of Amtali under West District.
"Frisking of apprehended person was carried out in the presence of independent witnesses and 4 numbers gold biscuits appx weight 466 grams suspected to be gold worth Rs 36.6 lakhs recovered from his possession.
The apprehended person accepted his involvement in trans-border smuggling of gold and revealed that the consignment was handed over to him by one Bangladeshi smuggler namely Iqbal r/o Brahmanbaria, Bangladesh," the official further said, adding that a massive search operation being carried out by BSF in the border area to nab the culprit who escaped from the spot.
Further investigation is going on. (ANI)
