Spurt in gun smuggling: BSF seizes 11 pistols along Punjab border in just 5 days

There has been a sudden increase in the number of illegal weapons being seized along the International Border in Punjab this week, with the Border Security Force (BSF) recovering 11 pistols in the last five days.

Along with weapons, the BSF has also recovered over a 100 rounds of ammunition so far this month. In comparison, eight pistols and nearly 100 rounds were recovered near the border in March and three pistols were recovered in February, BSF sources said.

Six pistols of different makes, along with 97 live rounds, were found in the fields yesterday evening in Amritsar, making it among the highest number of guns to have been recovered in a single day.

The spurt in the attempts to smuggle illegal weapons has implications for the law and order in the state, BSF officers said. This comes close on the heels of several improvised explosive devices (IED) being found last week by the BSF ahead of the border fence along a route frequently traversed by the BSF and local farmers in the Gurdaspur sector.

A BSF trooper was seriously injured after one of the IEDs, connected by a network of wires, exploded while it was being defused. Sources said that while recoveries or narcotics, weapons and drones are a regular affair along the border, the presence of IEDs was a rare occurrence.

The recoveries made by the BSF are in addition to any illegal weapons that may have been seized by the police in different parts of the state. The seized weapons are believed to have been dropped by drones launched from Pakistan. Some of the weapons were wrapped in yellow polythene that is typical for cross-border smuggling consignments.

In April so far, the BSF has neutralised about 10 drones in the vicinity of the border and seized over 5 kg narcotics. In addition, five persons suspected to be involved in smuggling have also been apprehended and items such as currency, motorcycles and mobiles have been recovered from their possession.

Drones have become the major means of pushing contraband into Punjab from Pakistan. All captured drones are examined forensically to determine their place of origin, flight path and destination. The BSF drone workshop, established in August 2024 in Amritsar, has successfully completed the technical analysis of 200 Pakistani rouge drones to extract valuable intelligence and develop future strategies to counter the drone menace.

The BSF has developed its own intelligence wing to monitor the movement of drones and smugglers in border regions and many of its operations are based on these inputs. In addition, regular coordination meetings to share information and coordinate operations with other law enforcement agencies are also conducted.

The BSF is responsible for the peacetime management of the International Border with Pakistan — running through the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab and the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Out of this, 553 km lies in Punjab. While most of the border is fenced, some riverine stretches along the course of the Sutlej are unfenced and difficult to guard and patrol because of the terrain.

Amritsar