SSB seizes 15g gold bars at India-Nepal border, two held in Panitanki
Synopsis
Two individuals travelling in opposite directions across the India-Nepal border at Panitanki were caught within hours of each other carrying undeclared gold bars — 10 grams and 5 grams respectively — in what the SSB described as back-to-back operations. Both offered explanations that officials found inconsistent, and the case has been handed to Customs.
Key Takeaways
SSB seized two gold bars totalling 15 grams at the India-Nepal border , Panitanki, West Bengal on 18 October .
Paras Lama (52) , of Darjeeling , was caught with a 10-gram gold bar in his baggage on a taxi from Nepal to India at 1:05 pm .
Shanti Thapa (41) , of Sonitpur, Assam , was found with a 5-gram gold bar on a Nepal-bound taxi at 4:20 pm .
Both individuals offered explanations that authorities found inconsistent and are being questioned further.
Both persons and the seized gold have been handed over to the Customs department for further proceedings.
Troops of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) seized two gold bars totalling 15 grams in back-to-back operations near the India-Nepal border at Panitanki in West Bengal on Saturday, 18 October, officials said. Two individuals were apprehended and subsequently handed over to the Customs department for further processing.
First Interception: Gold in Passenger Baggage
The first seizure occurred at approximately 1:05 pm when SSB personnel stopped a taxi travelling from Nepal to India on the New Mechi Bridge at Panitanki. The Border Intelligence Team detected a 10-gram gold bar during baggage screening of a male passenger identified as Paras Lama (52), a resident of Hill Cart Road, Jorebungalow in Darjeeling.
During preliminary questioning, Lama reportedly stated that the gold bar had been gifted to him by his sister nearly 10 years ago and that he intended to have ornaments made from it in his hometown of Gorabari in Darjeeling. However, officials noted a contradiction in his account — it remained unclear why he had carried the gold into Nepal if his plan was to get ornaments made in India.
Second Seizure: Nepal-Bound Taxi Flagged
Around 4:20 pm the same day, SSB jawans stopped a taxi proceeding towards Nepal on the same bridge. During frisking, a female passenger identified as Shanti Thapa (41), a resident of Molangaon in Sonitpur district, Assam, was found carrying a 5-gram gold bar in her bag.
Thapa reportedly told authorities that she had purchased the gold bar nearly a year ago as a form of savings and that it had inadvertently remained in her bag. She was travelling from New Jalpaiguri Junction to Gorkha in Nepal via Panitanki and Kakarvitta, the Nepali border town directly across the crossing. Officials said she is being questioned about her reasons for travelling to Nepal with the gold.
A Porous Border Under Pressure
The twin interceptions highlight the persistent challenge of smuggling along the India-Nepal border, which security officials describe as porous and difficult to monitor comprehensively. The SSB, which is the designated border-guarding force for the India-Nepal and India-Bhutan frontiers, has repeatedly flagged the movement of gold, currency, and contraband across this corridor.
Notably, both incidents took place at the same crossing point within hours of each other, suggesting the New Mechi Bridge checkpoint at Panitanki remains a focal node for such activity. This is consistent with a broader pattern of gold smuggling that authorities have documented along this stretch of the border in recent years.
What Happens Next
Both Paras Lama and Shanti Thapa, along with the seized gold bars, have been handed over to the Customs department for further legal proceedings. The Customs authority will determine whether formal charges of attempted smuggling are filed, depending on the outcome of their investigation and the credibility of the explanations offered by the two individuals.
Point of View
Lightly monitored beyond designated checkpoints, and routinely exploited for the movement of gold and currency. What makes this case notable is not the quantity — 15 grams is modest — but the contradictions in both individuals' accounts, which suggest the explanations offered at the checkpoint may not hold up under Customs scrutiny. The SSB's Border Intelligence Team appears to be operating with sharpened alertness at this crossing, but the broader question of whether checkpoint-level vigilance is sufficient to deter organised smuggling networks remains unanswered.
NationPress
18 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the SSB seize at the India-Nepal border in Panitanki?
The SSB seized two gold bars totalling 15 grams in back-to-back operations at the New Mechi Bridge checkpoint in Panitanki, West Bengal on 18 October. One bar weighed 10 grams and the other 5 grams, found on two separate passengers travelling in opposite directions.
Who were the two persons apprehended by the SSB?
The two individuals are Paras Lama (52), a resident of Jorebungalow in Darjeeling, and Shanti Thapa (41), a resident of Molangaon in Sonitpur district, Assam. Both were stopped at the New Mechi Bridge crossing at Panitanki.
What explanations did the two individuals give for carrying gold?
Paras Lama reportedly said the 10-gram gold bar was a gift from his sister about 10 years ago and that he intended to have ornaments made from it in Darjeeling. Shanti Thapa reportedly said she had bought the 5-gram bar as savings and that it had inadvertently remained in her bag. Officials found both accounts inconsistent with their travel routes.
What happens to the seized gold and the two persons now?
Both individuals and the seized gold bars have been handed over to the Customs department for further legal proceedings. Customs will determine whether formal smuggling charges are filed based on the investigation.
Why is gold smuggling common along the India-Nepal border?
The India-Nepal border is long and porous, with multiple informal crossing points that are difficult to monitor comprehensively. Security officials say the movement of gold, currency, and contraband across this corridor has been a persistent challenge, with the SSB flagging it as an ongoing concern.
