Over 200 arrests, Rs 12 crore worth goods seizure by BSF’s Guwahati Frontier this year: Official

GUWAHATI, Dec 1: More than 200 arrests, including of 47 Bangladeshi nationals, have been made and
smuggled goods worth about Rs 12 crore seized by the Border Security Force (BSF), Guwahati Frontier,
along the India-Bangladesh border this year, an official said on Friday.
The border guards have also been engaging with its counterparts in Bangladesh and both the forces are
coordinating to check crimes along the international boundary, he added.
As many as 186 Indians and 47 Bangladeshi nationals have been apprehended in Dhubri and South
Salmara Mackachar districts of Assam and Cooch Behar of West Bengal by the BSF since January one this
year, the Public Relations Officer (PRO), BSF Guwahati Frontier, said in a statement.
During the same period, it also seized illegal items worth about Rs 12 crore. These include 5,695 cattle
heads, Rs 3.39 lakh fake Indian currency notes, 1,516.965 gm of gold and 2,804 kg of ganja.
The Guwahati Frontier of BSF has an area of responsibility of 509 km along Bangladesh, including 91.726
km long riverine borders, char (sand bars) and undulating grounds.
Eleven battalions are deployed under three sectors, including a water wing, to secure these areas.
The PRO further said professional relations are being maintained with the Border Guard Bangladesh
(BGB), the BSF’s counterpart across the boundary, and “both the forces are continuously making best
efforts to further improve the bilateral relations through mutual cooperation and maintain peaceful
situation in the border areas”.
“Besides, many contentious issues on the border have been resolved,” he added, without specifying the
matters.
He mentioned that inspector general level talks (Border Coordination Conference) were organised in
September 2023, in which “a very positive response was received from the BGB.”
Day and night simultaneous coordinated patrols are being carried out by the two forces to control
smuggling and trans-border crime and to maintain peace and tranquillity, the officer added.
The PRO also said that the BSF has also been engaged in various measures to help the border
population, including holding medical camps, providing counselling and coaching to youths for
recruitment into armed forces and acting as first responders in case of medical emergencies and natural
calamities. (PTI)