Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 20: The Border Security Force (BSF) today recovered a consignment of 62 kg of heroin worth crores of rupees and two pistols after foiling an infiltration attempt from Pakistan along the International Border (IB) in Arnia sector of this district.
Inspector General of BSF, Jammu frontier, N S Jamwal said his force is shortly lodging a strong protest with Pakistan and expressed hope that stern action will be taken against those involved in the failed smuggling bid.
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The attempt to smuggle the narcotics and weapons was scuttled by BSF personnel of Budhwar and Bullechak border outposts in Arnia area of R S Pura sector around 2 am, leading to the recovery of 62 packets of heroin — each packet weighing one kilogram, two Chinese pistols with three magazines and 100 rounds, Jamwal said told reporters near the scene.
The IG BSF, who rushed to Arnia to congratulate his men for the successful operation, said over the past few days, there were inputs from the intelligence branch of force and police about a possible attempt from Pakistan to smuggle a consignment of drugs and weapons.
“We were alert to the threat and around 2 am, a group of persons were noticed on the Pakistani territory and two to three of them came closer to the border fence to sneak into this side but were challenged by the BSF personnel,” he said.
He said they opened fire but retreated to Pakistani side taking advantage of darkness and thick foliage, in the face of prompt retaliation by the BSF, leaving behind the consignment of drugs and weapons which were concealed in plastic bags tied with a rope and a PVC pipe.
SSP Jammu Sridhar Patil, who also reached Arnia to inspect the seizure, said the consignment is worth around Rs 300 crore in the international market.
“We see it as narco-terrorism supported by Pakistan. We have successfully foiled a number of attempts of narcotic smuggling from Pakistan over the past two years. They are pumping in drugs to ruin the lives of our youth but we are alert to the threat,” he said.
Terming the recovery as a “major success”, the IG BSF said, “We are going to lodge a strong protest note with Pakistan along with the evidence and are hopeful that it will take stern action against those involved.”
Jamwal said it is for the first time that the anti-national elements used PVC pipe to hide the narcotics to facilitate its smuggling into the Union Territory.
“Though it is for the first time in J&K but such type of modus operandi is in the knowledge of BSF which has successfully foiled similar attempts in Punjab over the years,” he said
Asserting that the terror infrastructure in Pakistan is intact, Jamwal said airdropping of weapons by drones in Jammu and Kashmir is a new challenge along with various anti-India elements coming together.
He said all security agencies are alive to the new security challenges and are maintaining tight vigil to scuttle the nefarious designs of the enemy forces.
“The terror infrastructure (in Pakistan) is intact as is evident from the increased activities like attempts to smuggle weapons and narcotics and firing incidents on the borders,” he said.
He said the new threat has emerged with the use of drones to airdrop weapons.
“We are alert and the work for counter-measures to deal with it is in progress,” Jamwal said, adding such type of activity was first reported in Punjab and subsequently extended to Jammu and Kashmir.
He said the forces are alert to the threat and have successfully foiled two such attempts in the past few months.
“The work on the counter-measures is in progress and we are utilizing technology to deal with the threat,” he added.
Jamwal said forces have already been sensitized about the challenge, resulting in successful operations after airdropping of the weapons.
Asked about reports that various terrorist organisations are joining hands while Khalistani handlers are supervising the smuggling of drugs into India with the help of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence, he said “all anti-India elements are coming together wherever they get an opportunity.”
“Security agencies are aware of this fact and appropriate measures are being adopted to meet the challenge,” he said.
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