Kolkata, March 29 (IANS): In a major pre-poll operation, the South Bengal Frontier of Border Security Force (BSF) seized 7 kg of gold from three women smugglers and also managed to apprehend the dealer of the consignment.

The BSF official said that the gold is valued nearly at Rs 4.70 crore and had been smuggled into India from Bangladesh. The accused, along with the gold, have been handed over to the officials of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence.

The official said that the BSF personnel of the 32 BN posted at Gede Border Outpost in Nadia district of West Bengal received information from the Force's intelligence wing about the smuggling of gold by a Gede-Sealdah local train.

“Troops immediately boarded the train in plainclothes and kept a watch on passengers. The behaviour of three women seemed suspicious and the BSF personnel tracked them when they got off at Mayurhat Halt - about 20 km from Gede,” he said.

The plainclothes personnel swooped in the moment they spotted the women handing over some packages to a man waiting at the location. A search revealed 20 gold biscuits, four gold bricks and eight broken pieces of gold bricks. The gold was to be taken to Kolkata, the official said.

“The women have identified themselves as Aporna Biswas, Ashima Muhuri and Mitali Pal of the Majherpara village in Gede. The man identified himself as Soumen Biswas of Chandpur village in Vijaypur, Nadia. The women claimed that they worked for an unknown person from their village who had promised them Rs 1,000 each to carry the gold up to Mayurhat and hand it over to Biswas who was in touch with Mitali over the phone,” the official said.

A K Arya, DIG and Spokesperson, BSF, South Bengal Frontier said that notorious smugglers target poor villagers and get them to participate in such activities by luring them with small amounts of money.

“We appeal to the border population to get in touch with us through the Seema Sathi helpline if they have any information on gold smuggling attempts. The number is 14419. The South Bengal Frontier has another number - 9903472227 - that can be used to send WhatsApp messages or voice messages related to gold smuggling,” he said.