Heroin smugglers from Pakistan seem to be already airdropping their contraband into Indian villages along the Punjab border with the help of drones. (Representational image)
CHANDIGARH: Some of the world’s biggest tech companies are still experimenting with using drones to deliver books and pizzas to your doorstep. But heroin smugglers from Pakistan seem to be already airdropping their contraband into Indian villages along the Punjab border with the help of drones.
Sources in the intelligence wing of BSF confirmed to TOI that recently smugglers were found using a drone in a border village in Gurdaspur. A plastic bag, believed to be packed with narcotic substances, was tied to the drone and was flying at a height of around 200 metres.
When detected, the drone quickly flew back into Pakistan without delivering its package, but it was enough to alert BSF authorities about the latest modus operandi of the smugglers. The drone was noticed near the border outposts of ‘Saharan’ and ‘Chandigarh’.
Post-seizures, smugglers look for new ways According to the senior BSF officials, this is the second innovative method adopted by the smugglers in recent months. Using trained scuba divers to carry contraband across the border through the riverine gaps in the Satluj and Ravi is the other method that is being tracked.
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BSF has the mandate to guard the 553-km India-Pakistan border in Punjab. According to intelligence agencies, the main thrust of heroin-smuggling is in Abohar, Ferozepur, Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts. In 2017, BSF had seized around 270 kg heroin and other narcotic substances, which was 18% more than 2016. Six intruders were also gunned down by the border force.
