GUWAHATI, Aug 26 – With deployment of additional forces and increased vigil along the international border with Bangladesh, seizures from smugglers increased sharply in the last few years, but increased cattle smuggling and attempts by unscrupulous elements to pump in fake Indian currency notes from abroad remain matters of serious concern. According to records available with the Border Security Force (BSF), the troops of the border guarding force seized cattle worth Rs 37.61 crore so far this year in the Assam-Meghalaya frontier and the seizures are increasing with every passing year. In 2005, the BSF seized cattle worth Rs 12.12 lakh and the figure increased to Rs 2.26 crore in 2006, Rs 8.17 crore in 2007 and Rs 15.58 crore last year. The records clearly indicate that the seizure has increased substantially in the last few years.
However, it is a fact that it is not possible to seize all the cattle sought to be smuggled out to Bangladesh because of the terrain and very often the smugglers use the riverine international border to smuggle out cattle. Once the cattle heads are pushed into the river, it is virtually impossible to seize those, sources admitted.
Interestingly, cattle from different places of India are brought to the international border in Dhubri to be smuggled out to Bangladesh and BSF sources said that there should be concerted efforts by all agencies concerned to deal with the menace instead of depending only on the border hoarding force. There should be attempts to prevent smugglers from bringing cattle all the way to the international border, sources added. Moreover, the BSF hands over the seized cattle heads to the Customs department for auctioning and there is every possibility of the smugglers buying back the seized cattle.
Meanwhile, police sources said that seizing cattle on the way is a difficult task “as in such a case, we will have to keep the cattle till the cases are disposed by the courts, which may even take months. We do not have any facility to keep the seized cattle and no extra fund is made available to feed those.” Police sources said that the Government would have to make all necessary arrangements like allotment of proper places to keep the cattle and providing funds to feed those to enable the police to prevent inter-state movement of cattle, sources added.
The efforts by the unscrupulous elements to smuggle in fake currency notes to Bangladesh is another major area of concern. The seizures of fake Indian currency notes by the BSF also registered sharp increase in the last five years. The face value of the fake Indian currency notes seized by the BSF in Assam-Meghalaya frontier in 2005 was Rs 6,300 and it increased to Rs 33,600 in 2006, Rs 50,600 in 2007 and Rs 52,000 last year. So far this year, the BSF seized fake currency notes of the face value of Rs 74,450. Most of the fake currency notes seized along the international border are of Rs 500 denomination.
Security sources said that there were attempts by certain groups to pump in fake currency notes to India from aboard to destabilize Indian economy and there are reports that such notes are printed in Pakistan and Bangladesh. The seizures by the BSF may turn out to be a tip of the iceberg as a big international racket is involved in the practice. The possibility of the involvement of the militants in such racket also cannot be ruled out, sources added.
Seizures of other smuggled items also registered sharp increase over the years and so far this year, the BSF seized contraband items worth Rs 2.75 crore. In the last five years, the BSF seized contraband goods worth between Rs seven to eight crore a year in the Assam-Meghalaya frontier, sources said.
Killing of smugglers near the international border also registered increase and so far this year, seven smugglers were killed compared to the killing of four last year and six in 2007.
BSF sources said that deployment of additional forces, extra vigil and providing modern equipment to the BSF personnel along the border resulted in increase of seizures.
However, it is a fact that it is not possible to seize all the cattle sought to be smuggled out to Bangladesh because of the terrain and very often the smugglers use the riverine international border to smuggle out cattle. Once the cattle heads are pushed into the river, it is virtually impossible to seize those, sources admitted.
Interestingly, cattle from different places of India are brought to the international border in Dhubri to be smuggled out to Bangladesh and BSF sources said that there should be concerted efforts by all agencies concerned to deal with the menace instead of depending only on the border hoarding force. There should be attempts to prevent smugglers from bringing cattle all the way to the international border, sources added. Moreover, the BSF hands over the seized cattle heads to the Customs department for auctioning and there is every possibility of the smugglers buying back the seized cattle.
Meanwhile, police sources said that seizing cattle on the way is a difficult task “as in such a case, we will have to keep the cattle till the cases are disposed by the courts, which may even take months. We do not have any facility to keep the seized cattle and no extra fund is made available to feed those.” Police sources said that the Government would have to make all necessary arrangements like allotment of proper places to keep the cattle and providing funds to feed those to enable the police to prevent inter-state movement of cattle, sources added.
The efforts by the unscrupulous elements to smuggle in fake currency notes to Bangladesh is another major area of concern. The seizures of fake Indian currency notes by the BSF also registered sharp increase in the last five years. The face value of the fake Indian currency notes seized by the BSF in Assam-Meghalaya frontier in 2005 was Rs 6,300 and it increased to Rs 33,600 in 2006, Rs 50,600 in 2007 and Rs 52,000 last year. So far this year, the BSF seized fake currency notes of the face value of Rs 74,450. Most of the fake currency notes seized along the international border are of Rs 500 denomination.
Security sources said that there were attempts by certain groups to pump in fake currency notes to India from aboard to destabilize Indian economy and there are reports that such notes are printed in Pakistan and Bangladesh. The seizures by the BSF may turn out to be a tip of the iceberg as a big international racket is involved in the practice. The possibility of the involvement of the militants in such racket also cannot be ruled out, sources added.
Seizures of other smuggled items also registered sharp increase over the years and so far this year, the BSF seized contraband items worth Rs 2.75 crore. In the last five years, the BSF seized contraband goods worth between Rs seven to eight crore a year in the Assam-Meghalaya frontier, sources said.
Killing of smugglers near the international border also registered increase and so far this year, seven smugglers were killed compared to the killing of four last year and six in 2007.
BSF sources said that deployment of additional forces, extra vigil and providing modern equipment to the BSF personnel along the border resulted in increase of seizures.
| Year | value of seized cattle | Face value of seized fake currency |
| 2005 | Rs 12,12,400 | Rs 6,300 |
| 2006 | Rs 2,26,79,660 | Rs 33,600 |
| 2007 | Rs 8,17,58,600 | Rs 50,600 |
| 2008 | Rs 15,58,65,700 | Rs 52,000 |
| 2009 | Rs 37,61,07,000 | Rs 74,450 |
R Dutta Choudhury
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