Pakistan continues using Chinese drones to drop narcotics and arms along Punjab border, BSF data shows
Despite a heightened vigil both on land and in the air along the western border after India and Pakistan announced a cessation of military operations on May 10, Pakistan continued to drop narcotics and arms into India with the help of Chinese drones, recoveries made by the Border Security Force (BSF) and Punjab Police show.
On May 10, before the cessation of operations was announced in the evening, the BSF, based on specific information, recovered a yellow packet adjacent to Sheikh Bhatti village in the Amritsar district of Punjab, bordering Pakistan. The packet had an improvised metal wire loop attached to it, indicating it was dropped by a drone, a BSF official said.
The packet contained 2.7 kilograms of high-grade explosive, two hand grenades with accessories, two pistols, four magazines, 30 live rounds of ammunition, two detonators, and an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) circuit.
'Despite the heightened situation on the border, the arms syndicate across the border has not stopped its malicious designs to push weapons onto Indian soil,' the BSF official said.
On May 11, amid blackouts, when several areas in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat were reportedly swarmed with armed drones from Pakistan despite the pause on military operations, the BSF recovered a 'DJI Mavic 3 Classic' drone from a field adjacent to Gola Dola village of Gurdaspur in Punjab, and another drone of the same make along with a pistol in Kahangarh village.
The same day, BSF personnel recovered 559 grams of heroin from a farming field near Rajatal village in Amritsar district.
On May 12, around 11:20 a.m., the BSF recovered another Chinese-made drone in a broken condition from a field near Nishoke village in Amritsar.
Subsequently, on May 14, the BSF recovered a pistol, a drone, and a packet of heroin in three different incidents in Amritsar, Ferozepur, and Gurdaspur along the Punjab border.
On May 15, the BSF recovered another 'DJI Mavic 3 Classic' drone from Tarn Taran in Punjab. 'The drone is presumed to have fallen due to technical interference of electronic countermeasures deployed on the border,' the BSF said.
Overnight on May 15-16, BSF troops observed suspicious activity in the Ferozepur border area and, on inspection, recovered a 'DJI Mavic 3 Classic' drone along with a pistol and two magazines from a farming field adjacent to Kalash village in Tarn Taran district.
In 2024, the BSF seized 294 drones along the Punjab border, double the figure from the previous year.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
20 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Soldiers injured in Operation Sindoor again ready to give befitting reply to Pakistan: BSF DIG
Asserting that soldiers injured in the attack carried out by Pakistan in response to Operation Sindoor have returned from hospital with high morale, a senior BSF officer on Saturday (June 7, 2025) said they are once again ready to give Pakistan a befitting reply in case of any misadventure. He said the Border Security Force (BSF) is guarding the borders excellently, and no one needs to worry as long as the Force is standing on the borders. "It has been over one month since Operation Sindoor. The personnel from our forces who were injured have now returned from the hospital. The morale of the Border Security Force is extremely high," BSF DIG Prabhakar Joshi told reporters in Jammu. He said the soldiers who were injured have returned from the hospital and are once again ready to take revenge against Pakistan. "This time, they are prepared with double the strength compared to before to confront any fresh misadventure from Pakistan and to give a fitting reply, one that will make them remember it painfully for generations to come." He praised the jawans and said these are the brave BSF jawans who gave a fierce reply to Pakistan's shelling during Operation Sindoor from May 7–10. "They are ready for duty again. Our reply was so strong, Pakistan's future generations will remember it. India speaks less, strikes hard," he said. The DIG said the BSF has responded on the border with full strength. "Not a single BSF post has been withdrawn and even those beyond the fence are holding their ground firmly," he said. On the security front, he said patrolling on the border is being carried out with utmost vigilance and the safety of the posts is being ensured. "The Border Security Force is guarding the borders excellently and as long as the BSF is standing on the borders, no one needs to worry," he added. The DIG said the nation has full faith that her brave security forces will respond effectively, giving Pakistan such a lesson that it will never forget in its lifetime. "If Pakistan dares to repeat its misadventures, our forces are fully prepared to give a crushing reply once again," he added. The injured officers, four of them, have returned to their duties and expressed high morale to serve at their posts. Sub-Inspector of BSF Vyas Dev, whose one leg suffered a major battle injury during Operation Sindoor, said he has suffered a major disability but has not lost his spirit. "Even today, we stand ready to return to the border and give a befitting reply to Pakistan," he said. Sub-Inspector Dev, who lost two colleagues during a bomb shell attack on his post, said this is the courage that defines the country's security forces. "We are proud of it. We are ready to give a befitting reply. "I am ready to give a befitting reply to Pakistan if it dares to mess with us. It was an opportunity for me to take part in Operation Sindoor," he said. Similarly, another jawan, Constable Bhupendra Vajpayee of BSF from Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh, has joined duty again after recovering from his battle injury. 'On May 9, during Operation Sindoor, Pakistan fired heavily on our BOP. We responded with full force.' "Despite injuries from a drone attack, I am back and ready for duty. This time, we will not only stop them but also hoist the Tricolour on their soil," he said.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Telangana anti-drugs agency finds cartel's hawala cash in washing machine in Goa
The Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau (TGANB) uncovered a major hawala operation linked to an international drug cartel, seizing nearly ₹50 lakh in cash hidden inside a washing machine in a Goa apartment. The money was reportedly moments away from being transferred to Nigeria. TGANB director Sandeep Shandilya said the cash, collected over just two days, was recovered during a raid conducted after a month-long surveillance operation in coordination with the Goa police. 'Had we delayed the raid by an hour, the entire amount would have been transferred. It was neatly stashed inside the washing machine, ready for dispatch,' ToI quoted Shandilya as saying. According to the report, the raid was carried out at an apartment in Highland Park and at Sangeetha Mobile Shop in Mapusa. The main accused, Uttam Singh, who ran the mobile shop, was arrested. The probe agency said that Singh laundered ₹2.1 crore of drug money within a week. His modus operandi involved receiving cash from foreign nationals, routing it through informal channels to Mumbai, and then facilitating its transfer to Nigeria. The ₹49.65 lakh seized during the raid is believed to be part of a larger money laundering network and a TGANB team is being sent to Delhi for further investigation. The hawala network came to light after the arrest of Nigerian national Emmanuel Bediako alias Maxwell, from Hyderabad earlier this week, reported news agency PTI. The 34-year-old was found in possession of 150 grams of cocaine and ecstasy pills worth ₹1.25 crore. According to a TGANB statement cited by news agency PTI, Bediako had made three visits to India since 2013, operating primarily out of Goa and selling various drugs including high-purity "celebrity cocaine," regular cocaine, and MDMA. TGANB officials believe the drugs were sourced from abroad and the profits routed to Nigeria via a sophisticated laundering network involving Indian hawala operators and the Nigerian drug cartel.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana native shot dead by assailants in Canada's Edmonton
Inderpal Singh, a native of Ludhiana's Jand village was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Edmonton, Canada on June 4. Singh leaves behind a pregnant wife and an eight-year-old daughter. A pall of gloom descended on the village with the deceased kin and friends describing him as a decent man with no enemies. The incident occurred late at night in the Edmonton city's southwest area. According to the initial police report, Inderpal, who had moved to Canada from Hong Kong about 18 months ago, had been working as an Uber taxi driver. 'On the night of the tragedy, he parked his cab outside his home when an unknown man approached and fired four bullets at him from close range. He succumbed to his injuries on the spot. Local residents who heard the gunshots immediately alerted the authorities,' police said. Medical officials later confirmed that Singh died instantly after being shot multiple times. While investigations are ongoing, police are not ruling out the possibility of a personal rivalry or gang-related involvement behind the murder. No arrests have been made so far. As of now, the motive behind the killing remains unclear. According to the family members, he had recently brought his wife to Canada on a work permit. The couple was expecting their second child and had hoped to build a better life overseas. The news has devastated the family. Just months earlier, Singh's father had passed away during a visit to Canada on a temporary visa. The victim's close friend Harry confirmed that Inderpal had no known enemies. 'The family's financial condition is dire, and efforts are being made through fundraising platforms like GoFundMe to assist his kin,' Harry said. The Indian community in Edmonton has expressed outrage over the incident, demanding swift action from law enforcement agencies. Local advocacy groups have also called for better protection of immigrants and delivery workers who are often exposed to high-risk environments. The family is now seeking support from both Indian and Canadian authorities to ensure justice is delivered and his body is brought back home for final rites.
