Woman nabbed with 50 grams of brown sugar near India-Nepal border
Kolkata, Aug 30 (IANS) Troops of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) apprehended a 48-year-old woman close to the India-Nepal border in Bihar’s Gaya district and seized 50 grams of suspected brown sugar from her on Sunday.
“Upon receipt of specific information from the Galgaliya Police Station in Bihar around 10 a.m., a joint operation was conducted by personnel of G Company, Bhatgaon, A Company, Nemuguri of the 41Bn SSB and the local police at the residence of Sabana Khatun at Timber Depot, close to the Galgalia railway station (Gaya),” a senior SSB official said.
“During the raid, 50 grams of suspected brown sugar was recovered from her house that is located about 450 metres from border pillar number 102,” he said.
During interrogation, the woman disclosed that her husband, Md Mustaq, and son, Sohrab, are presently in jail in connection with cases related to drug trafficking. The woman has been taken into custody by the Galgaliya Police Station. It is being ascertained whether she is also involved in the drug trade.
“Her mobile phone will be checked. We will also speak to locals to know more about her activities. It is possible that she is part of a larger network involved in the trafficking of drugs in the area,” a police official said.
Drug trafficking is rampant in the area close to the India-Nepal border. Criminals take advantage of the boundary between Bihar and West Bengal and the international border to carry out their nefarious activities, authorities said.
“Once they cross over into West Bengal, the Bihar Police have no jurisdiction and vice versa. The police have no jurisdiction close to the border, while the SSB can’t operate too far inside. The criminals are aware of this and take advantage,” another official said.
The unique nature of the border between India and Nepal also poses a problem for the enforcers. Citizens of both countries require no passports or visas to move across, and not everybody can be searched without a valid reason. Cross-border trafficking of drugs also takes place.
In the past, Indians have been apprehended in Nepal with drugs, while citizens of that country have been found in possession of drugs in India. The heavy tourist footfall in Nepal and the demand for banned substances is also an issue.
Officials suspect that several gangs operate in the area. Over time, better co-ordination has evolved between the various agencies, and there is regular information sharing. Intelligence networks have also been activated for information about criminals.
“Apart from maintaining vigil along the border, we co-ordinate with central and state agencies to prevent crime in the area. Locals are also regularly told to seek out help to keep the area crime-free for their own sake,” the SSB official added.
–IANS
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