At 517kg, BSF’s heroin seizure touched five-year high in 2020

AMRITSAR: The seizure of heroin and arms, including AK-series rifles and pistols, by the Border Security Force (BSF) along the India-Pakistan border in Punjab touched five-year high in 2020. BSF officials term coronavirus induced lockdown as the major reason for this. With most ports in India closed due to covid-19, land border was used for smuggling contraband from the neighbouring country, they said.

The BSF seized 517-kg heroin in 2020, but the corresponding figures were 227-kg in 2019; 230-kg in 2018; 279-kg in 2017 and 230-kg in 2016. (see box)

A senior Punjab BSF officer said, “The lockdown left many youth unemployed and in villages near the border, such youth acted as carriers for smugglers.”

“We noted that Pakistani smugglers smuggled at least one pistol with every heroin consignment. We are investigating this,” the official added.

Punjab Police officials claim that due to their crackdown on big smugglers, the supply chain of drugs was disrupted, prompting Pakistani smugglers to push in more consignments. In 2020, the force had arrested Ranjit Singh alias Cheeta, who was the kingpin in the 532-kg heroin case. The heroin was smuggled in a truck from Pakistan via the Integrated Check Post, Attari.

In 2020, the BSF had also reported increased instances of drones flying in from the Pakistan side along the border. Punjab Police officials say that Pakistani smugglers were using the drones to smuggle weapons and heroin into India.