Assam biscuit smuggling racket through Dhubri triggers daily tax loss

A large-scale tax evasion network linked to the illegal cross-border trade of biscuits has allegedly been operating along the Assam-West Bengal border in Dhubri, raising serious concerns over revenue losses and unfair market practices in the district, despite the heavy presence of GST officials in the area.

The alleged racket, centred around the Baxirhat-Sagolia transit route, is reportedly allowing consignments of premium-brand biscuits to enter Assam without proper GST documentation, undercutting legitimate traders and causing substantial losses to the state exchequer.

Sources familiar with the matter claimed that the operation is being run through a dealer based in Tufanganj in West Bengal. Goods are allegedly dispatched without valid GST invoices and instead moved using “approval slips”, a method believed to be aimed at bypassing tax records and official scrutiny.

According to allegations, GST bills are initially generated in the names of shops located in Baxirhat in Cooch Behar district to create the appearance of local delivery within West Bengal. However, once the vehicles reach the border area, the documents are reportedly discarded before the goods are transported into Assam through smaller vehicles, including e-rickshaws and light four-wheelers.

Investigators and traders suspect the network is exploiting loopholes in border monitoring systems to evade the 2 per cent GST applicable on daily consumption goods. The tax advantage reportedly enables smugglers to sell biscuits at lower rates than authorised dealers in Dhubri, creating an uneven market.

Local traders alleged that several retailers in Dhubri have increasingly shifted towards suppliers operating from across the border due to cheaper rates, leaving compliant businesses struggling to compete. They further claimed that undocumented consignments are entering marketplaces across the district on a daily basis.

Transport drivers allegedly involved in the movement of goods reportedly informed sources that deliveries are regularly made to multiple commercial hubs in Dhubri, indicating the operation may be far larger than initially suspected.

Despite the scale of the alleged smuggling network and the strong presence of GST personnel in the district, questions are now being raised over the effectiveness of enforcement and surveillance mechanisms along the border route.

Business groups and local traders have demanded an immediate crackdown on illegal movement through the Baxirhat-Sagolia corridor and called for a detailed audit of consignments originating from Tufanganj and entering Assam’s retail supply chain. They warned that continued inaction could further damage the local market while draining government revenue worth lakhs of rupees every day.