Children Caught in Crossfire: India-Bangladesh Border Sees Rise in Minors Used for Smuggling

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In a disturbing trend, the India-Bangladesh border has witnessed a surge in minors being used for smuggling activities. The Border Security Force (BSF) has detained over 80 children in south Bengal between 2021 and November 2025, with 11 such cases reported this year alone. In a recent incident, a 12-year-old boy was caught attempting to smuggle over 1.2kg of gold worth ₹1.64 crore from West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district to Bangladesh. The boy was handed over to the customs department and produced before the Juvenile Justice Board as a Juvenile in Conflict with Law (JCL). This is not an isolated case. In December 2022, a seven-year-old girl was detained with 107 grams of heroin, while a 17-year-old boy was held with 55 bottles of Phensedyl in May 2022. Data from the BSF's South Bengal Frontier reveals that the border, which spans roughly 920 km, remains vulnerable to smuggling due to its unfenced and riverine stretches. The Indo-Bangladesh border, which runs 4,096 km, is the longest border between any Indian state and a neighbor. West Bengal shares about 2,216 km of this border, with Tripura sharing 856 km and Meghalaya at 443 km. Around 864 km of the border remains unfenced, making it more susceptible to smuggling. According to data submitted to the Lok Sabha in March, contraband seizures along the Indo-Bangladesh border reached a record ₹461.7 crore in 2024, up from ₹137 crore in 2018 and ₹247 crore in 2020. The BSF has expressed its commitment to preventing cross-border crimes and smuggling, while ensuring due process is followed in cases involving minors. The Juvenile Justice Board can detain a JCL for up to three years, with community service also an option. The terms for gold offences are typically shorter, while those for narcotics are longer. As the BSF continues to combat smuggling, it remains a challenge to protect minors from being exploited by smugglers.