SSB seizes gold, silver at India-Nepal border in Bengal; 4 held
Synopsis
SSB troops at the India-Nepal border in West Bengal caught four men in a car carrying undeclared gold bars and coins on 2 October, exploiting a price differential that makes Indian precious metals cheaper than Nepali ones. The open, passport-free border makes this corridor a persistent smuggling route — and the Panitanki crossing a recurring flashpoint.
Key Takeaways
SSB D Company, 41 Battalion seized gold and silver from a car at New Mechi Bridge, Panitanki on 2 October .
Items recovered: four gold bars (~10g each) , three gold coins (~20g each) , and a 100g silver coin .
Dhanjit Patgiri (47) was found carrying the items; co-passengers Ashish Poddar (33) , Vikash Agarwal (36) , and driver Naba Kumar Roy (41) were also detained.
All four were handed to the Customs Office, Panitanki under Section 110 of the Customs Act, 1962 .
Gold and silver are currently cheaper in India than Nepal, creating a persistent smuggling incentive on the open, visa-free border.
The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) on Friday, 2 October intercepted a car carrying undeclared gold bars and coins at the India-Nepal international border in West Bengal, detaining four occupants who were subsequently handed over to the Customs Department. The seizure took place at the New Mechi Bridge in Panitanki, a key crossing point along the open India-Nepal border.
How the Interception Unfolded
At approximately 11:40 am, personnel of D Company, 41 Battalion, SSB, Ranidanga, flagged down a silver-coloured Maruti Suzuki Ertiga bearing registration number WB 74 BU 1274 during routine checks. The vehicle was travelling from India toward Nepal with four passengers on board.
Baggage scanning revealed that one occupant, Dhanjit Patgiri (47), was carrying a bag containing suspected gold bars and precious metal coins. When questioned, Patgiri and the other passengers were unable to produce valid documentation or offer a satisfactory explanation for the items, according to a senior SSB official.
Items Seized
According to the SSB official, the recovered items comprised four gold bars weighing approximately 10 grams each, three gold coins weighing nearly 20 grams each, and one silver coin weighing 100 grams. The vehicle itself was also held as part of the seizure.
The other occupants in the car have been identified as Ashish Poddar (33), Vikash Agarwal (36), and Naba Kumar Roy (41), who was driving. Investigators are yet to establish whether the remaining three passengers were aware of what Patgiri was carrying.
Legal Action and Handover
“The seizure and apprehension were carried out under Section 110 of the Customs Act, 1962,” the senior SSB official said. All four individuals, along with the seized articles and the vehicle, were handed over to the Customs Office, Panitanki, for further legal proceedings.
Authorities are working to ascertain whether Patgiri is the lawful owner of the precious metals and, if not, who the actual beneficiary may be.
The Smuggling Corridor Challenge
This comes amid a well-documented pattern of precious-metal smuggling on the India-Nepal route. Gold and silver are currently cheaper in India than in Nepal, making cross-border arbitrage attractive for smugglers who can sell the metals at a premium on the Nepali side.
The India-Nepal border is an open border where citizens of both countries may cross without passports or visas, presenting a significant operational challenge for the SSB. Officials noted that troop deployments now rely heavily on intelligence inputs, since it is not feasible to search every individual crossing. The Panitanki-New Mechi Bridge corridor has seen multiple such interceptions in recent years.
What Happens Next
The case now rests with the Customs Department, which will determine charges and investigate the supply chain behind the attempted smuggling. Investigators have not yet ruled out a larger network, and ownership of the seized items remains under verification.
Point of View
And as long as it persists, so will the smuggling incentive. What this case underscores is the SSB’s growing dependence on intelligence-led interceptions rather than blanket searches — a method that catches some, but almost certainly misses more. The real question is whether Customs and enforcement agencies are building the network intelligence to dismantle supply chains, or merely making isolated arrests.
NationPress
3 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the SSB seize at the India-Nepal border in West Bengal?
The SSB seized four gold bars (approximately 10 grams each), three gold coins (approximately 20 grams each), and a 100-gram silver coin from a car at New Mechi Bridge, Panitanki on 2 October. The vehicle, a Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, was also held as part of the seizure.
Who were the four people detained at the Panitanki border crossing?
The four occupants were Dhanjit Patgiri (47), in whose bag the items were found, along with Ashish Poddar (33), Vikash Agarwal (36), and driver Naba Kumar Roy (41). It has not yet been established whether the other three knew what Patgiri was carrying.
Why is the India-Nepal border a smuggling route for gold and silver?
Gold and silver are currently cheaper in India than in Nepal, allowing smugglers to buy metals in India and sell them at a premium across the border. The open, passport-free India-Nepal border makes it easier to attempt such crossings, though SSB troops rely on intelligence inputs to intercept suspects.
What legal action has been taken against the detained persons?
The seizure was conducted under Section 110 of the Customs Act, 1962. All four individuals, the seized items, and the vehicle were handed over to the Customs Office in Panitanki for further legal proceedings.
What challenges does the SSB face at the India-Nepal open border?
The India-Nepal border is open, meaning citizens of both countries may cross without passports or visas, making it impossible to search every individual. The SSB now increasingly relies on Border Intelligence Team inputs to identify and intercept cross-border criminal activity.
