Tripura: 23 smugglers arrested with 125 bags of sugar

February 07, 2024

Among the 23 apprehended Bangladeshi smugglers, 22 are from the bordering area of Feni district in Bangladesh, while one hails from Chattogram district.

Agartala: Acting on specific intelligence about cross-border sugar smuggling, vigilant troops of the Border Security Force (BSF) set up an ambush near the Border out Post Samarganj in South Tripura District, resulting in the apprehension of 23 Bangladeshi smugglers.

The operation unfolded as 25-30 Bangladeshi smugglers, organised in small groups, crossed the international borders to receive a consignment of sugar from their counterparts on the Indian side. The BSF successfully recovered 125 bags of sugar weighing 6,250 kg from the location of the arrests, along with the seizure of 17 mobile phones from the smugglers.

Among the 23 apprehended Bangladeshi smugglers, 22 are from the bordering area of Feni district in Bangladesh, while one hails from Chattogram district.

The BSF contacted Border Guards Bangladesh for a flag meeting, but as of the afternoon, it had not taken place. A First Information Report (FIR) is being lodged, and the apprehended Bangladeshi smugglers are undergoing medical examinations before being handed over to the Manu police station.

There has been a noticeable increase in trans-border sugar smuggling through the India-Bangladesh border in Tripura in recent years. In 2023, BSF troops under the BSF Tripura frontier seized a total of 5,49,950 kg of sugar, along with apprehending 16 trans-border smugglers and impounding 27 vehicles. In 2024, the figures stood at a total of 2,11,124 kg of sugar, 34 apprehended trans-border smugglers, and the impounding of 14 vehicles.

The apprehension of 23 Bangladeshi smugglers marks a significant blow to the trans-border smuggling syndicate operating in Tripura, as vigilant BSF troops remain committed to preventing smuggling and trans-border crimes, as stated in the press release.##.