Seized 100 drones used to smuggle drugs, explosives into Punjab from Pak this year: BSF

BSF said the drone menace, which posed a major challenge, has been effectively countered through its swift and strategic action

NEW DELHI: The Border Security Force (BSF) on Monday said it has seized 100 drones used by terror groups and traffickers to smuggle weapons, explosives and drugs in Punjab along the Indo-Pakistan border this year.

BSF said every drone intrusion is being meticulously tracked, intercepted and recovered, ensuring that these are not used for smuggling drugs, weapons, or other illicit activities (X/BSF_Punjab/ File Photo)

“This year, on 18th May 2025, BSF successfully crossed a significant landmark of recovering the 100th Pakistani drone including 111 kgs of heroin, 60 weapons, 14 hand grenades and more than 10 Kgs of high explosives from entering into Indian territory,” the force, which is deployed along the Indo-Pak border said.

BSF said it has also shot down three Pakistani intruders and apprehended 66 Indian smugglers and 3 Pakistani nationals along the border.

In 2024, BSF recovered 294 such drones along the Indo-Pak border.

To be sure, the 100 drones recovered this year by BSF are commercial drones made in China such as DJI Matrice, DJI Mavic, DJI Air.

Investigations conducted over the last four years have indicated that Pakistan-based terror groups were involved in sending drugs and weapons using drones at different locations along the border in Punjab.

In the Sarhali blast case, where a rocket propelled grenade hit the local police station in August 2023, and the RPG attack on the Punjab Police intelligence wing headquarters in Mohali in May 2022, the ammunition was smuggled into the country across the border via drones.