(IN): Assam: BSF cracks illegal cattle smuggling

February 17, 2009

Assam: BSF cracks illegal cattle smuggling

Kishalay Bhattacharjee

Tuesday, February 17, 2009, (Guwahati, Dhubri)

Last week, NDTV had travelled to Dhubri in Lower Assam to find out the

magnitude of the illegal cattle smuggling trade and found the trade is

controlled by an unbelievably well-organised mafia. It also came to light

that the volume of the trade was between Rs 30-40 thousand crore.

Such a magnitude clearly showed that this is probably the biggest underworld

trade in these parts.

Now, after the impact of the NDTV story, the BSF, which is responsible for

intercepting the smuggling racket, has disclosed major seizures. Since the

report was aired, the agency has seized 459 cattle valued at Rs 77.93 lakh.

However, Suleman Khan a cattle trader himself admitted that seizures cannot

control smuggling as the same cattle gets recycled after auction.

" They come unauthorised and cross over. There are no records at all. The BSF

do seize but what is the use? The same person comes and purchases it back.

No inquiry is made, anyone can go scot-free. BSF personnel is inadequate and

whatever they can they seize, but others cross over, " he said.

It was only in 1999 when the first investigation was carried out along that

West Bengal border where more than 15,000 cattle reportedly cross over every

night.

At Dhubri, the NDTV team saw at least 1,500 cattle waiting to be

transported.

Each cattle fetches about Rs 30,000 in Bangladesh, which is one of the major

beef exporting nations. Bangladesh's economy of leather exports and bone

china is also made from smuggled Indian cattle.

But the worry now is of strong evidence of cattle smugglers virtually

running the fake Indian currency network and facilitating the terror outfits

on either side of the border.

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