The Border Security Force (BSF) posted at the India-Bangladesh border seized over 100 bloodsamples of Bangladeshi nationals on Tuesday from a vehicle near the border inCooch Behar.

Five Indians have been nabbed in this connection.

Sources in the central security force said troops of the 6th battalion of the BSF posted in the Teenbigha border outpost intercepted a car from the Teenbigha corridor area. As they searched the vehicle, they found four styrofoam (thermocol) boxes inside.

“The boxes were opened, and altogether, 106 blood samples were found inside. All the samples were of Bangladeshi nationals,” said a source.

BSF officials suspect that those arrested are associated with a racket that illegally gets blood samples of Bangladeshi nationals tested from Indian pathological labs.

“We suspect they collect the samples from Bangladeshis who stay in remote areas and had to travel to get the tests done in their country. But it is a completely illegal practice. We hope the police will find out the details,” said a source.

There were five persons in the car and all were nabbed. They have been identified as Ali Hossain, Dipen Debnath, Md Shahajahan Hossain, Partha Debnath and Swapan Basak. All of them are residents of Kuchlibari.

The BSF also recovered some Indian currency and cell phones from them. Later, they were handed over to the Kuchlibari police station with the seized items.

In another incident, Md Alam Gir, a resident of Nilphamari district of Bangladesh, was nabbed by troops of the 40th battalion of BSF posted in Singpara border outpost in Cooch Behar on Tuesday while he was trying toinfiltrate India.

Later, he was handed over to the Border Guard Bangladesh through a flag meeting at the border.