Hectic Friday as newly posted officials join in city

Newly appointed DIG, Border Range, Sandeep Goel today assumed charge and reaffirmed the Punjab Police's firm commitment to curb cross-border drug smuggling through drones, a growing threat along the Indo-Pak border.

After taking charge, DIG Goel, while interacting with the media, said that the police, in coordination with the Border Security Force (BSF), will continue to adopt technology-driven surveillance and intelligence-based operations to neutralise the drone menace.

"The use of drones for smuggling narcotics and arms from across the border is a major challenge, but our teams in four border districts including, Amritsar Rural, Gurdaspur, Batala and Pathankot, are well-equipped and determined to dismantle these networks," he said.

The officer also emphasised upon strengthening inter-agency coordination and real-time information sharing to ensure quick response against any drone-intrusion attempts.

He said special focus will be laid on vulnerable stretches of the border districts, which have witnessed multiple recoveries of Pakistani drones and heroin consignments in the recent past.

In the past few months, the BSF and Punjab Police have jointly neutralised several Pakistani drones and seized large consignments of heroin, foiling repeated attempts by cross-border syndicates.

The BSF has confiscated over 200 drones used to smuggle narcotics and weapons in 2025 till now.

DIG Goel added that such joint operations reflect the unwavering resolve of the Punjab Police to protect the border belt from the menace of drugs and arms smuggling. He also emphasised on providing corruption-free administration at the ground level.