New Delhi . Border Security Force (BSF) personnel are diligently working to check smuggling of narcotics from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar and as a result of their tireless efforts, thousands of kilograms of narcotics have been stopped from entering India in the last four years. could be stopped.
According to BSF data, from January 1, 2019 to January 25, 2022, the BSF has seized more than 45,874 kg of narcotics in the eastern sector while more than 1,719 kg of narcotics has been seized in the western sector.
Officials said that smugglers often invent new methods so that the consignment of drugs does not come in the sight of BSF, but the vigilance of the soldiers defeats their intention every time.
He told that big pipes are used to smuggle drugs, big catapults are used to throw them in packets and sometimes attempts are made to smuggle through drones.
According to the data, 12,238 kg in the year 2019, 11,768 kg in the year 2020, 19,474 kg in the year 2021 and more than 2,366 kg of narcotics were seized in the eastern sector till January 25 this year.
In the western sector, 304 kg in the year 2019, 723 kg in the year 2020, 645 kg in the year 2021 and more than 46 kg of narcotic substances were seized till January 25 this year.
Describing drug smuggling as a constant challenge for the BSF, BSF sources said that the security forces constantly upgrade their approach to check smuggling along the border. “We try to continue exploring possible ways to stop these activities because they also threaten national security,” he said.
Sources said that apart from illegal trade in precious metals and arms, smuggling of Yaba tablets and Phensedyl cough syrup remains a challenge for the BSF in the eastern sector, while heroin smuggling in the western sector is still a challenge.
Inspector General of BSF K. Srinivasan (Retd) while explaining the reasons for the seizure of large quantity of drugs in the Eastern Sector said that due to the difficult terrain and the presence of houses in the border area, smuggling of banned substances becomes more.
He said, “In many places in the eastern sector, people are living in houses built on the international border and in many places the front part of the house comes in India while the back part comes in Bangladesh. The smuggling is more due to these places. gets.”
However, BSF’s intelligence network helps a lot in keeping an eye on those places, Srinivasan said.
The BSF and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) exchange information on drug smuggling and in recent years the border guarding forces of both countries have developed an improved and coordinated mechanism to share information on smuggling of drugs and other goods. has done.
According to sources, as part of the Civic Action Program, the BSF organizes medical camps and other initiatives for the local population and develops an intelligence network. This network informs the security force about drug trafficking or infiltration in the Eastern Sector.
Smuggling of Yaba tablet and cough syrup Phensedyl from India has also been a challenge for BGB and joint efforts BSF and BGB have been successful in stopping the smuggling.
Alcohol is banned in Bangladesh, so Phensedyl is used as a substitute for alcohol.
Drug smuggling through drones in the western sector is posing a major challenge to BSF especially in Punjab and recently BSF has shot down several drones carrying drugs especially heroin.
Sources said the BSF is working with the Defense Research Development Organization (DRDO), the research arm of the Defense Ministry, on anti-drone technology for early detection of these drones.
Last year, the Ministry of Home Affairs, through a notification, amended the BSF’s jurisdiction to exercise its powers in the states bordering Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
BSF officials said this has empowered the BSF to keep a close watch on the smuggling network in the border areas and it has yielded good results in curbing drug smuggling.
Ever since the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan, there has been a constant apprehension that consignments of narcotics will be sent to India through the western border at the behest of Pakistani masters. In such a situation, the decision to expand the jurisdiction of the BSF was the most appropriate, officials said.
—AnyTV News
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