DHANGADHI, MARCH 1
Although the authority has beefed up security along the border, the measure has had little impact on controlling the ongoing smuggling of goods from India.
In the past one year, 10 border security posts have been set up at different points in the district. Besides, there are also police posts at 10 different places near the border to control cross-border smuggling and other criminal activities.
But, these provisions seem to have been anything but effective in producing the desired result. Let alone during normal times, even the official border closure during the height of the coronavirus pandemic didn't see any let-up in smuggling of things into the district.
Police have confiscated smuggled goods and commodities worth millions of rupees in the district ever since the pandemic-related crisis started.
The scale-up of security posts has led to confiscation of more contraband and arrest of more persons involved illegal activities.
Among the goods and commodities smuggled between the two countries are tobacco-based products, electronics and hardware items, automobile parts and sugar.
Just a few months ago, two security persons stationed at Jugeda entry point of Dhangadi were murdered by a group of smugglers when police tried to stop them from smuggling peas from India.
Though the incident saw a dramatic fall in smuggling activities, illegal activities have started to rebound again, according to locals.
According to Armed Police Force 34 Number Battalion Dhangadi Chief SP Dipendra Kunwar, there are plans to add four more BOPs along the border in the district. "We now have 14 BOPs on the border.
We are planning to add four more," he said, adding more BOPs will help control illegal activities across the border, including smuggling of goods and commodities.
A version of this article appears in the print on March 2, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.