An Indian smuggler has been detained with a foreign-made pistol, two rounds of .22-bore ammunition and 500 Yaba tablets following an exchange of fire between alleged smugglers and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members along the Kumarshail border in Barlekha upazila of Moulvibazar district.

The arrest was made during a special operation conducted by Beanibazar Battalion (52 BGB) on Thursday night, according to a press release issued on Friday morning.

Acting on a tip-off that a gang of smugglers from India would smuggle a consignment of weapons and drugs into Bangladesh through the Kumarshail border, a special patrol team took position in the area around 10:00pm, the BGB said.

When the suspected smugglers arrived, BGB members challenged them.

Sensing the presence of the border guards, the smugglers opened fire, prompting BGB members to return fire in self-defence, the force said.

The smugglers then attempted to flee the area. BGB members chased them and detained one Indian national.

A foreign-made pistol, two rounds of .22-bore ammunition and 500 Yaba tablets were recovered from his possession, the BGB said.

It said the detainee admitted during preliminary interrogation to being involved in a cross-border smuggling gang.

The border force suspects that the recovered weapons and drugs were brought from India for supply in Bangladesh.

BGB intelligence teams are continuing efforts to identify and arrest the other smugglers who fled the scene, it said.

Lt Col Md Ataur Rahman Sujan, commanding officer of Beanibazar Battalion, said BGB members are maintaining the highest level of vigilance and professionalism to prevent the smuggling of drugs, weapons and other illegal goods across the border.

“Alongside maintaining border security, such operations will continue to protect the country’s young generation from the dangers of drugs,” he said.