NEW DELHI, May 23: The Border Security Force (BSF) has intercepted a drone loaded with around 2-kg drugs in the Amritsar district of Punjab along the International border with Pakistan, official sources said on Tuesday.
Foiling the nefarious attempt of Pakistan, the BSF troops shot down the drone around 9 p.m. on Monday night near Bhaini Rajputana village in Amritsar district, according to an official statement.
“… The BSF troops deployed in-depth area, heard the mild buzzing sound of a suspected Pakistan drone, in the area near village Bhaini Rajputana in Amritsar. As per the laid down drill, BSF troops immediately reacted to intercept the drone and successfully downed the Pak drone with the Contraband,” said the statement.
The statement added that during a subsequent search of the area, the BSF troops recovered a black coloured drone (Quadcopter, DJI Matrice, 300 RTK) along with a consignment containing two packets of suspected narcotics, attached to the drone by means of an iron ring.
“A small torch [switch-on condition] was also attached with the consignment, for easy detection by the smugglers. The gross weight of the recovered Consignment of suspected narcotics is approximately 2.1 kilogram,” it added.
This is the fifth reported interception of a drone vehicle along the Punjab border since May 19. Amid persistent concern over drugs, money, weapons, and explosives being pushed from across the Indo-Pak border from Pakistan into Indian territory over drones, at least 22 drones were captured by the BSF in the year 2022. The BSF is involved in safeguarding the 553-kilometre-long Indo-Pakistan International Border in Punjab.
(Manas Dasgupta)