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22 drones downed, 317kg heroin recovered along Punjab border in 2022: BSF
Smuggling of drugs, arms, ammunition and explosives via drones had started coming into notice in 2019; though only one drone was shot down by the BSF in Punjab in 2021, the number saw multifold jump by the end of 2022
The Border Security Force (BSF) shot down 22 drones along the India-Pakistan border in Punjab and recovered 317 kilograms of heroin in 2022, a spokesperson said on Saturday.
As per officials, most of the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were detected and captured by the BSF men deployed at the border.
Smuggling of drugs, arms, ammunition and explosives via drones had started coming into notice in 2019. Though only one drone was shot down by the BSF in Punjab in 2021, the number saw multifold jump by the end of 2022.
“In 2022, BSF men in the Punjab Frontier maintained extremely high level of alertness and vigil as a result of which, 22 drones were brought down, 316.988kg heroin was seized, 67 weapons along with 850 rounds were recovered, two Pakistani intruders were killed and 23 Pakistan nationals apprehended in separate cases. Displaying humanitarian approach, we had also repatriated nine Pakistani nationals, who had inadvertently crossed the border,” the BSF spokesperson said.
According to reports, drone sightings along the 2,289km-long India-Pakistan International Border running along Jammu, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat was 77 in 2020, 104 in 2021 and 311 this year (till December 23). About 75% of these were detected in Punjab, where drones have majorly been used by the other side to push drugs and weapons into the Indian territory, the spokesperson added.
In 2022, besides announcing ₹50,000 reward to the ‘drone hitting-party’ and ₹1 lakh to informers, the BSF took several other measures too to tackle the drone incursions.
“We have been awarding ₹50,000 to each team involved in shooting a drone down,” said BSF’s Gurdaspur deputy inspector general Prabhakar Joshi. He said ₹50,000 will also be given to the two women constables who had shot down a drone carrying 3kg of heroin in November.
The BSF had in April announced ₹1 lakh reward to general public for providing information related to the drone-based smuggling. Posters regarding the award were also pasted in the border villages.
The border guarding force has also deployed an assortment of electronic jammers and spoofers to block the frequencies and navigation path of these narcotics and arms-carrying drones leading to their immobilisation.
“Special training imparted to our men to shoot down flying objects and strengthening of our coordination with Punjab Police and other sister agencies, along with people of the border villages, helped in tackling the drone challenge at some level this year. An anti-drone technology is currently being used on a trial basis on the border. We are working to enhance the technology to properly tackle the threat,” said a senior BSF official, who didn’t wish to be named.
Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit had also visited the border areas and stressed on increasing the coordination among the security agencies to tackle such exigencies.
