Heroin seizure along Indo-pak border saw 17% dip in 2018
DOWN BUT NOT OUT BSF seized 229kg till December 30 this year against 277kg in 2017
AMRITSAR : The seizure of heroin by the Border Security Force (BSF) along the India-pakistan border in Punjab recorded a 17 per cent dip in 2018 as compared to the previous year.
The BSF seized 229kg heroin from four sectors — Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Ferozepur and Abohar — of Punjab till December 30 this year. In 2017, the force had seized 277kg heroin.
BSF’S deputy inspector general (DIG), Amritsar sector, JS Oberoi, said, “If we go by the overall seizure by the BSF in India, the recovery of heroin is almost the same as compared to last year.”
The BSF had seized 234kg heroin in 2016.
The recent big seizure was in Ferozepur sector on December 23 when the troops of 87 Battalion of the BSF recovered 17kg heroin, a Pakistan-made pistol and ammunition during a search operation at the Karma border outpost in Tarn Taran district.
Pakistani smugglers push heroin into Indian territory through the 553km international border in the state in collusion with their local contacts.
On December 12, two farmers of Rajatal village in Amritsar district were arrested with 4.2kg heroin by the counter intelligence (CI) wing of Punjab Police.
INDIAN SMUGGLERS HAVE STARTED ROPING IN PEOPLE RESIDING ALONG THE BORDER, SAY INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS
After the arrest, a senior counter intelligence officer had said, “Smugglers on our side are in regular touch with those in Pakistan. Indian smugglers have started roping in people residing along the border. Border residents are offered between ₹50,000 and ₹1 lakh for smuggling 1kg heroin.”
Similarly, on December 23, another farmer, who owns 4 acres of agriculture land along the security fence, was arrested and 450gm heroin was seized at his instance.
Besides heroin, there was a dip in the seizure of opium, weapons and ammunition as well. The BSF seized 635g opium in 2018 as compared to 2.1kg last year.
Similarly, 19 weapons of different types were seized in 2018, which were 23 in 2017. In 2017, the BSF had seized 694 rounds and the figure this year stands at 502.
The force had nabbed 27 Pakistani nationals in 2017, and the figure was 5 in 2018.
“After the Pathankot and Dinanagar terror attacks, vigil along the border has been increased. Equipment like closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, LED and floodlights, thermal imaging cameras, hand-held thermal imagers, radars, sensors, laser lights etc are being used to keep a vigil on intruders and drug smugglers,” said a BSF official.