Byrnihat, Meghalaya: In a major crackdown on cross-border human trafficking, Ri Bhoi District Police in Meghalaya intercepted a sophisticated smuggling and illegal intruders’ network, arresting twelve Bangladeshi nationals attempting illegal entry into India. The operation, conducted on Wednesday, March 26, also led to the dramatic arrest of a key trafficking operative in Nalbari in Assam, exposing a well-organized racket facilitating entry to Bangladeshi intruders.
Fake documents and hidden routes
Acting on precise intelligence, law enforcement ambushed a Tata Sumo near Byrnihat, uncovering eleven individuals—including two minors—being smuggled into India. Authorities recovered forged Aadhaar and PAN cards, suggesting the group was being prepped for integration into local communities.
“Their intended destination was Dawki, a hotspot for illegal crossings,” revealed the Ri Bhoi District Police Chief. “This was not a random attempt but a coordinated operation with handlers on both sides of the border.”
The mastermind’s escape and capture
The breakthrough came after police tracked Sukur Janab Shaikh, a suspected trafficker linked to Mumbai-based networks, traveling to Guwahati. Despite evading initial searches at Kamakhya and Guwahati railway stations, Shaikh was later apprehended in Nalbari in a late-night raid.
Among those arrested were nine adults, including Kakali Sardar, Hirina Dili Mulla, and Rabia Begum. Police are investigating potential ties to larger syndicates operating across West Bengal and Assam.
Parallel infiltration bid
In a separate incident on March 21, the Border Security Force (BSF) thwarted another cross-border movement in Cooch Behar, detaining five Bangladeshi nationals—including three transgender individuals and a couple.
Interrogations revealed the detainees had been living illegally in Delhi and Haryana for years before attempting to return to Bangladesh. The BSF later handed them over to Border Guard Bangladesh, highlighting the fluid yet perilous nature of undocumented migration.
Bigger network at play
Authorities suspect these cases are interconnected, pointing to an alarming trend of exploitation along porous border zones. “These arrests expose a systemic issue—traffickers are using India as both a transit and destination hub,” a senior BSF official stated.
With investigations ongoing, concerns mount over the depth of these networks. Are more operatives still at large? How many have already slipped through? For now, Ri Bhoi’s operation stands as a critical win—but the battle against infiltration is far from over.
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