KOLKATA: In a major crackdown, the 68th battalion of the Border Security Force (BSF) arrested a person with approximately 23 kilograms of smuggled gold at the Indo-Bangladesh borders at Bagda in North 24 Parganas early on Tuesday.
The person arrested in this connection has been identified as Indrajit Patra, a resident of Kulia village also in North 24 Parganas district.
He was carrying the smuggled gold in the form of biscuits and bars within the air-filter of the motorcycle that he was driving.
The estimated market price of smuggled gold seized is to the tune of around Rs 14 crore. The seized consignment includes 50 gold biscuits and 16 gold bars.
A senior BSF official said that the smuggled gold was brought from neighbouring Bangladesh and was supposed to be taken to Kolkata.
After arresting Patra, the BSF officials handed him over to the customs department sleuths. On being informed by their sources, the BSF personnel created barricades at Van Crossing near the borders and when Patra arrived at the spot on his motorcycle, he was quickly apprehended by the border guards.
He tried to escape but the BSF personnel overpowered him. He was then taken to the outpost along with his motorcycle. Thereafter, the gold biscuits and bars were recovered from within the air-filter of the motorcycle.
It is learnt that Patra owns a gold jewellery shop along with his younger brother at his native village. During interrogation, he admitted that he received the assignment of collecting and carrying the smuggled god consignment from a person named Samir, against a payment of Rs 15, 000.