Heroin-Filled Coke Bottle Attached To Drone Recovered By Troops In Punjab

The Border Security Force (BSF) and the Punjab Police today recovered a bottle full of drugs from Rajatal, a village close to the International Border in the Amritsar district of the state.

The border and the Punjab police launched a search operation after receiving specific inputs regarding drugs smuggling into the region via drone - A new modus operandi used by narcotics smugglers in Pakistan. The troops recovered a Chinese-built drone with a drug-filled bottle of Coca-Cola or Coke attached to it.

The recovered drone is a DJI Mavic 3 Classic quadcopter, made in China. The DJI Mavic 3 Classic has a maximum flight time of 46 minutes and is capable of 15-kilometre HD video transmission.

The drone was recovered from a paddy filed in Rajatal, and the troops suspect the drug was heroin, which weighs around 0.54 kilograms.

The troops successfully foiled another attempt by narcotics smugglers to send drugs to Punjab via drone

Centre's Action Plan

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who chaired the 31st Northern Zonal conference in Amritsar, said that dedicated teams who specialise in drone technology and anti-drone measures would be soon deployed all across border states to keep a check on drugs and weapons which are being smuggled to India from Pakistan.

"Modi government is committed to strengthening the security system on the border, soon an anti-drone system will be deployed on our country's borders," Mr Shah told assured chief ministers of border states.

The Centre told Parliament in August that Pakistan is using drones to supply weapons and drones in Jammu and Kashmir as well.

The infiltration levels in Jammu and Kashmir have declined, but Pakistan is keeping terrorism alive and using technology to send weapons and drugs into India through drones, the centre said.