Shillong, September 23: With the easing of lockdown the State of Meghalaya witnessed a sharp increase in cattle smuggling through the porous Bangladesh border which is reflected in the seizures made by alert BSF troops during past few days despite harsh weather condition and crisis of COVID-19 pandemic.
On Wednesday, during an operation to check cattle smuggling the vigilant BSF troops deployed at BOP Muktapur in West Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya seized 118 cattle worth more than Rs 17 lakh.
These cattle were stocked in hinterland inside dense forest, kept these ready to be smuggled to Bangladesh.
U K Nayal, DIG/PRO FTR HQ BSF Meghalaya said that – “ Cattle smuggling in the State is likely to increase and accordingly BSF has stepped up its special drive against the cattle smugglers and has intensified its operations on the Indo-Bangladesh Border to foiled nefarious design of trans-border criminals in the area of Meghalaya state.”
He also said that, the cattle smuggling can’t be stopped unless joint operation of BSF and Police is carried out in-depth area and frisking of trucks heading towards border area by Police or other agencies on national highway.
