Kolkata, Sep 7 (IANS): Border Security Force (BSF) on Saturday said that they have seized 43 Bangladeshi passports and six police clearance certificates while they were being smuggled to Bangladesh along the Indo-Bangladesh Border (IBB) in West Bengal's North 24-Parganas district.

“During routine patrolling, a BSF boat party came across a strange white sack floating on the Sonai River. It was found that the sack was being dragged towards the Bangladesh side with ropes attached to it. The troops of the 143 Bn BSF, posted at Tarali-I Border Outpost, immediately used anchors and boat hooks to pull the sack out of the water. The passports and clearance certificates were found inside the waterproof sack,” said BSF, South Bengal Frontier Spokesperson.

He said that the inspection revealed that the police clearance certificates were to facilitate travel to Croatia by the passport holders.

As per figures revealed by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and the European Union for 2020, there are hardly any Bangladeshi immigrants in Croatia.

However, Croatia was used by 2,924 Bangladeshis as a transit point in 2020 to clandestinely get into countries like Italy, Spain, Greece and Malta.

"It is possible that the passports and clearance certificates used by one lot of illegal immigrants are sent back after they have moved from Croatia. These may then be used for another lot of illegal immigrants or trafficking victims after some modifications," a senior official of the Ministry of Home Affairs said.

He added that this is clearly part of a larger racket that may have far-reaching ramifications

The BSF Spokesperson said that they have got in touch with the Customs Department at Tentulia and the local police and handed over the documents.