Belonia, May 21: On Tuesday morning, a coordinated raid by administrative officials targeted a shop suspected of hoarding sugar. The operation, conducted at 10 am, involved multiple agencies, including the police, food department, fire department, tax department, weights and measures department, food safety and public distribution department, GST department, vehicle department, BSF, CRPF, and Belonia Municipality employees.
The focus of the raid was Milan Pal’s godown, located adjacent to the Belonia police station. Inside the godown, authorities discovered bags of salt and open sugar. The decision to seal the godown was based on concerns about its uncleanliness, unhygienic conditions, and inadequate infrastructure.
Following the raid, the Additional District Magistrate of Belonia subdivision addressed the media, revealing that a significant volume of sugar was being traded. An ongoing investigation aims to determine the nature of this sugar trade—whether it involves legitimate commerce or illegal smuggling, potentially across the border into Bangladesh. Milan Pal, the owner, failed to produce any documentation except for the GST records. Operating a sugar godown within a residential property violates the law, leading to the godown’s closure. Despite this action, reports suggest that Belonia has become a conduit for sugar smuggling. The raid was prompted by various complaints received by the administration at different times.
