ILLEGAL FISH TRADE ACROSS BORDER WITH B’DESH TO FORE

After smuggling of cattle, gold and drugs, a new trend of illegal trade of fish across the India-Bangladesh border has been unearthed by the Border Security Force (BSF) in West Bengal in the past one week.

On Monday, the BSF jawans of 112 Battalion at border outpost Tarali in North 24 Parganas under Sector Kolkata spotted a gang of eight men carrying some plastic drums and approaching towards the Indian side from Bangladesh, BSF (South Bengal Frontier) stated on Tuesday.

When the BSF team asked them to stop, the smugglers fled by taking the advantage of jute field.

However, they left four drums behind.

The drums were filled with Singi fish larvae worth `7.20 lakh, the BSF added.

The seized consignment was later handed over to the Customs at Tentulia.

It may be recalled that earlier on August 5, the Border Security Force caught a man for smuggling 126 kgs of Hilsa fish worth `11.26 lakh in a truck during a routine vehicle checking at integrated check post in Petrapole in North 24 Parganas.

As many as nine white bags containing the fish were found in the cabin of the truck which was coming from Bangladesh without any Customs clearance.

While the truck was seized, Biplab Shil (35), the truck driver, and consignment were handed over to the police.

Originally from Dinabandhu Nagar in Bongaon of the district he went to Bangladesh on Aug. 4, driving his truck for exports.

While returning, he received the consignment from a Bangladeshi national, Miraj Chaudhary, who asked him to deliver it Khokan, a guard in Lucky Truck parking Naraharipur in Bongaon, in exchange of `5,000.