Pakistan-based drug smugglers exploit juvenile law, recruit minors for trafficking

To push narcotics and weapons from Pakistan into Punjab, cross-border cartels are increasingly recruiting minors, exploiting their vulnerability and legal provisions that offer protection to juveniles from severe penalties.

Senior police officials as well as the Border Security Force authorities confirmed that during the recent seizures of consignments of drugs and sophisticated weapons, juveniles were arrested in several operations.

They pointed out that the recruitment of juveniles had become a calculated tactic by Pakistan-based handlers and their local networks.

“The cartels know that minors cannot be punished severely under the Juvenile Justice Act. They use poverty, peer pressure and addiction to trap them,” said Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar.

On November 1, the police busted a trans-border drug racket, apprehending seven persons, including a juvenile, with 15 pistols smuggled from Pakistan. Earlier, on October 2, the police had seized 12 pistols trafficked from the neighbouring nation and arrested a minor among five persons. Similarly, a juvenile and three others were caught and 6.1kg heroin seized in July. In March, the Ferozepur police had nabbed a minor with over four kg of heroin.

In several intelligence-led operations over the past months, the police have often apprehended teenagers carrying heroin packets and pistols. Though there is no particular data about the number of juveniles arrested for smuggling drugs, rough estimates put the number at 15 to 20, said a police official. Many acted as pickup agents for consignments dropped by drones under the cover of darkness.

“They are often promised a few thousand rupees, a new phone or free drugs — and they take the risk without realising the consequences,” said a counter-intelligence officer. Officials say handlers recruit juveniles from the families struggling with poverty and unemployment in the border belt comprising Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur and Fazilka districts. Many villages near the border have become targets of such recruitment networks.

A senior BSF official pointed out that the disturbing trend came to light in the recent past. Investigations revealed that Pakistan-based handlers of cross-border smugglers were urging them to recruit minors with no previous criminal record to evade law enforcement scrutiny. He said during public meetings, they regularly ask the people to remain alert about notorious and suspicious elements, apart from strangers approaching the local youths in the border villages.

“Cross-border networks are targeting children. To break this cycle, families, communities and the state must remain vigilant,” said DIG (Border Range) Sandeep Goel.