3 min readJul 10, 2024 09:58 AM IST
First published on: Jul 10, 2024 at 09:57 AM IST
Between January and July 9 this year, the Border Security Force (BSF) has shot down 125 drones along Punjab’s border with Pakistan against 107 in the entire 2023. In 2022, the BSF had intercepted only 22 such drones in the entire year.
Over the years, the number of drones that are being flown into the Indian territory from across the International border with Pakistan in Punjab has seen a significant rise. The drones, which carry drugs, arms, ammunition and fake currency from Pakistan into India, are mostly shot down in Abohar, Ferozepur, Tarn Taran, Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Pathankot districts, with maximum recoveries from Tarn Taran and Amritsar, BSF sources said.
Sources added that with better drone interdiction technology now available with the BSF, they are able to bring down a large number of the drones and seize the consignments that they carried.
Around 145 kg heroin and 15 kg opium has been seized by the BSF between January and July 9 this year, including the payload carried by the drones. The Chinese made DJI Mavic-3 Classic drones are the most common among those which were seized in Punjab and these carry small payloads of drugs often accompanied by automatic pistols and a few rounds of ammunition.
As per data sourced by The Indian Express, 18 weapons, 24 magazines and 313 rounds of ammunition of various calibres have been seized in the border areas in the same time period of six months. One Pakistani intruder has also been killed while attempting to enter India along the border fence in Punjab while a few mobile phones with Pakistanis SIM cards have also been recovered.
The seizures made by the BSF also include huge quantities of drugs such as ICE and Tramadol Hydrochloride tablets. As per one estimate 21,473 tablets of Tramadol have been recovered along with one KG of ICE. 111 litres of locally made illicit liquor have also been seized from border areas.
As many as 35 Indian smugglers have been nabbed in the past six months and 42 persons have been caught while trying to enter Pakistan from India in Punjab. The BSF also apprehended 21 Pakistani citizens at the border and handed 13 of them back to Pakistan as they were found to have been inadvertent border crossers. One Bangladeshi and one Afghan citizen were also nabbed at the border.
Indian currency worth Rs 2 crore, fake Indian Currency notes worth Rs 40,000, Pakistani currency worth Rs 36,000 and a few hundred Bangladeshi Takas have also been seized.
Punjab has a 553 km long border with Pakistan, most of which is fenced. However, there are certain riverine stretches where the fence gets damaged during monsoons due to flooding of rivers and hence the BSF has to take extra precautions to ensure that there is no illegal activity undertaken by the smugglers by taking advantage of the situation.
According to a senior BSF officers, operations in the border areas are also undertaken with the close cooperation of Punjab Police in the border areas. The Punjab Police has undertaken an extensive exercise to install CCTV cameras all along important points on the Indo-Pak border.
As per a statement issued by the Punjab DGP, Gaurav Yadav, the project worth Rs 20 crores has been already sanctioned. Tenders for the same were also floated by the Punjab Police a few months back.
As per data sourced by The Indian Express, 18 weapons, 24 magazines and 313 rounds of ammunition of various calibres have been seized in the border areas in the same time period of six months. (Representational image/File) 
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