When you look at a bicycle tyre, you expect it to be inflated with air. Troops of the Border Security Force (BSF), however, were in for a surprise.
A bizarre discovery along the India-Bangladesh border stunned officials. Acting on intelligence inputs in Malda district of West Bengal, troops of the 119 Battalion, South Bengal Frontier, stopped a man on a bicycle around 3 pm on October 26, and found the front tyre “unusually swollen and rigid”.
On closer inspection, the troops realised the tyre was a metallic vault. Hidden inside were seven gold biscuits weighing 816.41 gram in total, with an estimated market value of over Rs 1 crore. Though the smuggler abandoned the bicycle and managed to flee, the unusual choice of a bicycle tyre has left officials surprised.
“Yesterday, 119 Battalion of the Border Security Force under the South Bengal Frontier seized seven gold biscuits in the border area of Malda district. However, the smuggler managed to flee from the spot. The total weight of the seized gold is 816.41 grams, with an estimated market value of Rs 1,02,40,230,” said an official.
The battalion had received inputs that a local smuggler might attempt to move gold through the M S Pur Border Outpost area. Acting on the tip-off, the troops intensified surveillance in the border zone and maintained heightened alertness.
As the troops proceeded with a detailed check, the suspect took advantage of the moment, abandoned the bicycle and fled into a densely populated area.
“After the incident, a search operation was conducted across the area, but the smuggler could not be traced. Later, upon dismantling the bicycle tyre, seven gold biscuits were recovered. The seized gold has been handed over to the concerned agency for further legal action,” the official said.
The BSF has urged border residents to share information related to gold smuggling through the BSF Seema Sathi helpline (14419) or via WhatsApp message or voice note at 9903472227, assuring confidentiality of informants.
A senior BSF official noted that over 160 kg of gold was seized in the South Bengal Frontier region in 2023 and over 176 kg last year. “In 2023 alone, 493 Indian smugglers and 186 Bangladeshi nationals were arrested. In addition, 45 Indians and eight Bangladeshis acting as facilitators in illegal infiltration were apprehended,” the official said.
In 2024, the BSF arrested 339 Indians and 116 Bangladeshis for smuggling, while 43 Indian and three Bangladeshi touts were caught for facilitating illegal immigration. Smuggling methods vary widely, officials said — ranging to even swallowing gold or hiding it inside shoes.