Bengal sand smuggling case: Fake QR-codes, multiple trucks with same numbers, ED unearths fraud

Kolkata, Sep 9 (IANS) After marathon raids and search operations at multiple locations in West Bengal in connection with a multi-crore sand-smuggling racket, the investigating officials of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have identified a unique modus operandi in running the illegal business.

The raids were carried out throughout Monday.

Sources aware of the development explained that the modus operandi in the irregularity had two layers.

“As per the rules of sand mining in the state, the mining entities authorised to extract sand from the different rivers in the state are required to provide the registration numbers of their trucks to be used for carrying the extracted sand from the river to the concerned administrative authorities. The mining entities are also supposed to provide the administration details of the owners of the trucks that would be used for the purpose,” said an official.

However, he added, in reality, multiple trucks owned by different owners used the same registration numbers to collect sand from the river banks. “This was the first step in the modus operandi of the irregularity.

The second step, according to him, was in the manipulation of the QR-codes that were allotted by the district administrative authorities to the trucks supposed to carry the extracted sand from the river banks to the sites of the mining entities.

“Through the use of technology, these QR codes were forged and allotted to trucks that were not authorised to carry sand from the river banks. This was the second step in the entire modus operandi of the irregularity,” the official said.

The investigating officials of the ED had already procured some substantiated documents relating to duplicate registration numbers allotted to multiple trucks, as well as the forged QR codes.

“Such an orchestrated way of irregularity would not have been possible unless and until some higher officials of the administrative authorities concerned had been intricately involved as part of the entire scam,” the official said.

He also said the investigating officials of the central agency have already started tracking those officials who clandestinely aided the sand smuggling rackets in this.

“At the same time, such a large-scale irregularity for a long time and that too with the help of some officers in the government administration would not have been possible unless the racket operators had the backing and patronage of some influential persons politically in the state,” the official added.

This is the first time ever that the ED officials have conducted any operation in West Bengal in relation to sand-smuggling rackets.

--IANS

src/dpb