The Border Security Force (BSF) has advised the Punjab government to proactively detain habitual offenders involved in drug smuggling along the border, according to senior officer Yogesh Bahadur Khurania on Monday. Khurania, the special director general of BSF Western Command, disclosed that the force has furnished the state government with a roster of such repeat offenders. “We recommended preventive detention for habitual drug offenders to the Punjab government,” he stated. The Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988, empowers the government to preventively detain individuals with a history of drug offenses.
Officials highlight the escalating challenge posed by drug smuggling through drones from across the border in Punjab’s border districts. Khurania revealed that the BSF has seized 95 drones this year, surpassing the 21 recovered in 2022, with the majority confiscated in Punjab. Independently, the BSF recovered 101 drones this year, including 93 in Punjab and eight in Rajasthan. Jointly with the police, the BSF retrieved 16 drones this year from Punjab.
Simultaneously, narcotics seizures in Punjab have risen compared to 2022, with the BSF confiscating 420.25 kg of heroin this year, up from 316.98 kg last year. The expanded jurisdiction of the BSF from 15 to 50 km in Punjab has enabled increased domination in the hinterland through frequent vehicle patrolling and temporary post establishment, resulting in the prevention of illegal activities, Khurania explained.
Various measures, such as augmenting troop deployment and vulnerability mapping, have been implemented to curb narcotics and weapons smuggling across the border. Khurania emphasized the creation of a database monitoring individuals involved in drug smuggling released on bail or parole. He noted that all agencies are vigilantly tracking these individuals.
The Western Command of the BSF oversees effective border management on the India-Pakistan border across five frontiers: Kashmir, Jammu, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. Khurania underscored the persistent challenge of narcotics smuggling in Punjab, along with certain areas in Rajasthan and Jammu. He pointed out the continuous attempts over the past two to three years to smuggle drugs and weapons across the border using drones. Training and technology deployment are crucial components of the BSF’s strategy to counteract smuggling activities effectively.
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