PATNA, July 18 -- Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) Inspector General Nishit Kumar Ujjawal said the Central force had apprehended 14 foreigners in last seven months from the Indo-Nepal border adjacent to Bihar. These people were trying to enter the country illegally. Out of fourteen, eight were Chinese, three Bangladeshi, one each from Canada, Ukraine and Senegal. Investigation was going on in the cases registered against them in various police stations. In 2024, seven foreigners including three from USA, three from Bangladeshi and one Chinese national were apprehended by SSB, he added. Talking with reporters, the IG said FIRs had been registered under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act for their illegal entry into India, as well as under Section 467 of the Indian Penal Code for document forgery. Foreign nationals were taking advantage of the open borders to enter India from Nepal. It was not mandatory for citizens of the two countries to have passports or visas to cross borders, he said. Nishit said the situation on the Indo-Nepal border was improving. "The major challenges are inter-border crime, illegal infiltration and narcotics smuggling and the SSB is maintaining constant vigil through border out posts (BOPs), especially on the unauthorised routes generally used by smugglers. We have also held meetings with Nepal's APF police to ensure there is no misuse of the border," he added. The SSB IG said, "SSB has destroyed optimum cultivation on 2,965.5 acres, seized 23 firearms, 1,307 ammunition and 31 IEDs from Maoists hideouts. Besides, there have been 99 arrests in 108 cases of human trafficking while rescuing 209 women and children. There were 6,709.759 kilograms contraband seized after the arrest of 153 persons till July 15 from the porous border." Nishit said the Seemanchal areas were also under focus, especially the Jogbani international border, meant for the movement of Indian and Nepali people only. SSB personnel seized Rs.1.10 lakh FICN and caught four persons. Meanwhile, in 2023 (September), 47 foreign nationals from 12 countries were arrested with the help of Immigration, Customs and SSB. They were from Nepal, Sudan, Myanmar, Russia, Czech Republic, Tibet (China), East Africa (Uganda), Uzbekistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, US and China....