Paradip: The word ‘Supari’ has a different connotation in the world of organised crime.
In this case, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) was not dealing with ruthless ‘Supari’ killers but hardened ‘Supari’ smugglers in the Bay of Bengal.
Early on Thursday, ICGS Varad, a Coast Guard vessel on duty close to India’s International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) with Bangladesh, spotted a fishing boat moving suspiciously in the area. A boarding party from ICGS Varad reached the fishing boat named ‘FB Maa Basanti’ and boarded it.
“During a search about 450 bags of Betel nuts (Supari) were found on board the vessel. Each bag weighed nearly 50-60 kg. The total haul was of about 25 Tons. The value of this betel nut is about Rs 1 crore,” a senior official said.
The FB Maa Basanti (Reg No. WB-DS-MM-10023) is from the Kakdwip Fishing Harbour in the South 24-Parganas district of West Bengal. Authorities found no documents on board to support the claim that it is actually registered. The 14-member crew possessed no biometric identity cards that are issued to licensed fishermen.
“Though the boat was at sea for five days, no fishing gear or catch was found on board. This clearly indicates that it was out on a smuggling trip. The boat, along with the crew, have been taken into custody. They were escorted to Paradip in Odisha for further legal processing. This operation highlights the role that the ICG plays in protecting national interests. The Force maintains round-the-clock vigil to secure India’s maritime boundary,” the official added.
Betel nut is smuggled from Bangladesh to India. This impacts betel nut growers in the country who do not get a decent price due to excessive supply. So lucrative is this racket that a customs official was arrested on April 20, 2024, for leading one across West Bengal’s land border with Bangladesh.
