The quantity of heroin seized by the Border Security Force from the Indo-Pak border in Punjab is almost five times the total recovery of the contraband from eight other border states.
According to data from the ministry of home affairs presented in parliament, the BSF till June 30 recovered almost 248 kg of heroin from the Indo-Pakistan border in Punjab and, from the rest of India, it recovered close to 50 kg. The BSF, apart from Punjab, is also deployed in Assam, Meghalaya, West Bengal, Mizoram, Tripura, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Jammu and Kashmir.
The data shows that in the last three and a half years, the BSF has recovered close to 1,560 kg of heroin from Punjab. Also, there has been an increase in the recovery amount from the border in Rajasthan.
In 2020, the BSF recovered close to 9 kg of heroin from border areas in Rajasthan, 64 kg in 2021, close to 24 kg in 2022 and this year, till June 30, 44.5 kg. The MHA, in a reply to Rajya Sabha, said the BSF, Sashastra Seema Bal, Assam Rifles and Indian Coast Guard have been empowered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, for making an interdiction of narcotic drugs at land and sea borders.
“Detailed vulnerability mapping has been carried out along the border to strengthen surveillance by deploying additional special surveillance equipment and other available resources at vulnerable patches,” the MHA said.
It added: “Surveillance equipment like hand held thermal imager (HHTI), night-vision device (NVD), twin telescope, UAVs among others are being used as force multipliers for effective area domination. In addition to that, Long-range Reconnaissance and Observation System (LORROS), Battle Field Surveillance Radar (BFSR) are also deployed. Integrated surveillance technology equipped with CCTV/PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) cameras, IR (infrared) sensors and infrared alarm with command and control system have also been installed at selected patches of the international border.”
In its reply, the MHA further said apart from this, steps have been taken to curb drug smuggling by effective domination of the borders by carrying out round-the-clock surveillance – patrolling, laying nakas, manning observation posts – all along the international border. Erection of fence, border outposts (BOP), border floodlights and use of watercraft/boats and floating BOPs for domination of riverine areas are some other measures taken, the ministry added.
“Special and joint operations with other agencies such as state police, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) are being conducted along the borders. Director-general level talks have been organised with neighbouring and other countries such as Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh to resolve various issues on drugs having international implications,” the MHA said in its reply.
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