Another Pakistani Drone Carrying Drugs Shot Down Near Amritsar

AMRITSAR: According to a senior official, the Border Security Force (BSF) captured a smuggler who was carrying 3.2 kg of heroin while another Pakistani drone was shot down near the international border in the Amritsar district.

"On the intermittent night of May 27-28, Border Security Force (BSF) troop shot down a drone (Quadcopter, DJI Matrice RTK 300) near Village Dhanoe Khurd, district Amritsar. Troops apprehended a smuggler," BSF DIG Sanjay Gaur, Amritsar said on Sunday.

As three people were racing towards the village, depth-deployed forces near Dhanoe Khurd village observed them as well. They confronted the people and apprehended one suspect. They also found a bag that contained three packets of suspected drugs, totaling about 3.4 kg, in the suspect's possession. Along with the shipment, an iron hook and four light-emitting diodes were discovered.

"Three packets of narcotics (heroin) weighing 3.2 kg were recovered. BSF recovered another heroin consignment at another place," he said. "Further action will be taken after questioning the smuggler," BSF DIG Gaur said.

There have been more instances of Pakistani drones violating international boundaries. A Pakistani drone that had violated Indian airspace in Punjab's Amritsar sector was intercepted and shot down by BSF on Sunday in a similar occurrence. The drone and drugs have been found by the BSF personnel.

"A Pakistani drone that violated Indian airspace has been intercepted and brought down by alert BSF troops in Amritsar Sector", BSF Punjab Frontier said in a statement.

The spokesperson said in another incident, a pack of suspected heroin (2.2-kg weight approximately) dropped by a Pakistani drone, was also recovered in the Amritsar Sector. “This seizure occurred at a separate location from the previous drone incident,” he added.

Prior to this, on May 20, The Border Security (BSF) shot down a Pakistani drone that was transporting drugs close to the international border near Amritsar, Punjab.

Around 8.48 pm on Saturday, the BSF claimed in a statement, the troops stationed in the deep area heard what they believed to be a Pakistani drone buzzing above the Dhanoe Kalan hamlet in the Amritsar district.

A reward of Rs 1 lakh might be yours if you spot a drone transporting drugs out of Pakistan.DGP Gaurav Yadav made this announcement on May 17. The reward proposal may serve as a check on the smugglers' practise of paying commission to locals in border regions who assist in recovering drugs dropped by drones.

Yadav stated that there was a Rs. 1 lakh incentive for information regarding drone movements and the capture of weapons and drugs. 22 drones were shot down by the BSF in Punjab last year.

In the meantime, Shukla and Dr. Atul Fulzele, the IG of the BSF's Frontier Headquarters in Jalandhar, had a combined coordination and review meeting at Khasa in Amritsar to improve border security and stop smuggling. Senior BSF officers present included the DIGs of the Border Range (Narinder Bhargav) and the Ferozepur Range (Ranjit Singh Dhillon), as well as four other DIGs and four Commandants.

To stop the smuggling of drugs and weapons into Punjab from the other side of the border, Shukla emphasised the importance of conducting evidence-based and proactive policing.

He instructed the SSPs of border districts to increase police presence as a second line of defence to stop criminals on the Indian side from collecting contraband dropped by drones.

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