Heroin worth Rs 35 crore dropped by Pak drone seized along IB in Jammu

In a major success against cross-border narcotics smuggling, the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Border Security Force (BSF) on Monday seized 5.3 kg of heroin, valued at around ?35 crore in the international market, from the RS Pura sector along the Indo-Pak border.

According to officials, the consignment was airdropped by a Pakistani drone late Sunday night and recovered from paddy fields in Bidhipur Jattan village early Monday morning.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Jammu, Joginder Singh, said the heroin was packed in 10 smaller packets concealed inside two larger bags. “An FSL team was called to the spot, which confirmed the substance to be heroin. Further investigation is underway to establish the forward and backward linkages of the consignment,” Singh said.

He added that the joint operation was launched after the BSF reported suspicious drone activity near the International Border on Sunday evening. “Acting promptly on BSF inputs, a coordinated cordon-and-search operation was conducted by the Jammu Police and 120 Battalion of BSF. During the search at first light, two yellow packets containing narcotics were recovered from the fields. It is suspected to be a drone drop from Pakistan into Indian territory,” the SSP said.

A case has been registered under Sections 8, 21, and 22 of the NDPS Act, and investigations are in progress to identify those who were to collect the consignment. “We are working to trace the source, handlers and intended recipients of the seized drugs,” Singh added.

In an official statement, the BSF said, “Acting on precise intelligence, BSF troops foiled yet another attempt by Pakistan-based smugglers to push narcotics into Indian territory. The contraband was recovered from farmland close to the border.”

Police officials noted that drug trafficking has become a growing concern in Jammu district, often involving local criminals linked to petty offences. “So far this year, Jammu Police have booked 40 persons involved in both drug peddling and other criminal activities, and 30 drug suppliers who sourced contraband from Punjab for sale in Jammu,” the SSP said.