BSF Meghalaya apprehended 115; Rs 11.70 Crore in Contraband seized in Q1 2025

The Border Security Force (BSF) Meghalaya Frontier has said that in the first quarter of 2025, the border guarding force apprehended 115 individuals trying to cross the Indo-Bangladesh border.

According to BSF officials, 115 individuals were apprehended between January and March this year for their involvement in illegal cross-border activities.

Advertisement

These include 78 Bangladeshi nationals and 37 Indian nationals, arrested for offences ranging from smuggling to unauthorised crossings.

Additionally, six touts — identified as key facilitators of these movements — were also taken into custody. These arrests have enabled coordinated crackdowns and follow-up investigations by police and intelligence agencies across Meghalaya and neighbouring states.

In targeted operations along the border, BSF personnel seized a massive consignment of smuggled items — including 750 heads of cattle and contraband valued at Rs 11.70 crore.

The confiscated items included banned substances like Yaba tablets, cannabis (ganja), as well as liquor, cosmetics, and textiles — all allegedly destined for illegal trade across the border into Bangladesh.

The Indo-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya has long been a conduit for cattle smuggling, narcotics, and other illicit goods due to the lack of a fully fenced border and challenging topography. Smugglers often exploit forested stretches, riverine routes, and foot trails to ferry goods across.

To prevent transnational crimes and enhance coordination, BSF Meghalaya has continued its engagement with the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB).

Regular flag meetings and field-level talks have been held to exchange intelligence on smuggling routes, infiltration attempts, and human trafficking networks.

A BSF spokesperson stated that information gathered from interrogating the apprehended individuals has yielded actionable leads, which have been promptly shared with sister agencies.

“We are committed to disrupting smuggling and infiltration networks through collaborative efforts,” the spokesperson said, adding that a policy of “zero tolerance” toward cross-border crime remains in force.

Meghalaya shares a 443-km international border with Bangladesh, of which nearly 70 per cent is unfenced due to geographical and logistical constraints.

This has made the region a hotspot for illegal activities ranging from cattle smuggling to human trafficking and narcotics trade. With routes passing through Garo Hills, Dawki, and South West Khasi Hills, the challenge for BSF is not just enforcement but also community sensitisation and infrastructure support in border villages.