75kg gold seized in Benapole

Members of Border Guard Bangladesh in separate raids seized 635 pieces of gold bars, weighing around 75kg, and arrested three suspected smugglers, including a woman, from bordering Narkelbaria and Shikri areas yesterday.

The arrestees are Mohiuddin, 35, of Shikarpur village, Md Israfil, 45, of Bhaberber village, and Safura Khatun, 52, of Daulatpur village.

The value of the seized gold was estimated at around Tk 36 crore, said Lt Col Ariful Hoque, commanding officer of 49 BGB Battalion. It is the biggest gold smuggling attempt in Benapole border area, he added.

The BGB official said acting on a tip-off, a BGB team, led by Havildar Mukul Hossain Pramanik of Shikarpur camp, raided Narkelbaria area and arrested Mohiuddin along with 624 gold bars, weighing over 72.75 kg, around 3:30am.

In another raid at Shikri, a BGB team, led by Havildar Mozammel Hossain of Benapole BGB company headquarters, detained Safura and Israfil along with 11 gold bars, weighing 2kg, around 8:00am.

The gold bars were being smuggled into India, said the BGB official, adding that the trio and the gold bars were handed over to Benapole Port Police Station. 

Two cases were filed with the police station in this connection.