Shillong, March 6 : Six cattle smugglers, including a teenager, have been arrested in South West Garo Hills during a joint operation of the BSF deployed in Gopinathkila and the State police.The arrested men have been identified as Ponam Marak (18), Diman Areng (28), Jodha D. Marak (25), Artish M. Marak (30), Namzan A. Marak (40) and Bansang M. Marak (32), all of whom are from West Garo Hills district, a BSF statement said.The security team also seized 35 animals that were being smuggled.BSF also seized 72 cattle worth Rs 10 lakh in East Khasi Hills and South West Garo Hills.“The modus operandi of the smugglers is that seized animals make their way back to the smugglers who buy them during their auction by the customs department,” the BSF statement said.The security force, in its statement, said, “With the recent slump in the smuggling and resultant demand-supply gap, beef price has skyrocketed in Bangladesh making trafficking riskier but much lucrative.”It also said cattle smugglers have a “counter-intelligence network” comprising “linesmen” who keep tabs on BSF troops. There are “transporters” who ensure that the cattle cross the border and “stone-pelters” who rain stones on security forces to scatter them.Mosquito repellants seized from border in EKHThe BSF troops deployed at Umsiyam in East Khasi Hills seized 3,072 mosquito repellent devices worth over Rs 2 lakh which were being smuggled into Bangladesh. In a statement, the BSF said its intelligence team on a tip-off launched a raid near international border. When BSF personnel reached the spot, the smuggler managed to escape.