Arms smuggling up, BSF seizes 11 pistols at border in five days

There has been a sudden spurt in the number of illegal weapons seized along the International Border in Punjab, with the Border Security Force (BSF) seizing 11 pistols in the past five days.

The BSF has also seized over 100 rounds of ammunition this month so far. Eight pistols and nearly 100 rounds of ammunition were seized near the border during March, while three pistols were seized in February, sources in the BSF said.

Six pistols and 97 rounds of ammunition were found in the fields in the Amritsar sector on Thursday evening, making it among the highest number of guns to be seized in a day.

The spurt in the number of attempts to smuggle illegal weapons has implications for the law and order situation in the state, BSF officers said. This comes close on the heels of several improvised explosive devices (IEDs) 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 to a network of wires, exploded while it was being defused. Sources said while seizures of narcotics, weapons and drones were a regular affair along the border, the presence of IEDs was a rare occurrence.

The seizures made by the BSF were in addition to the illegal weapons seized by the police in various parts of the state. The seized weapons were believed to have been dropped using drones launched from Pakistan.

In April, the BSF has so far neutralised about 10 drones in the vicinity of the border and seized over 5 kg narcotics. Five persons suspected to be involved in smuggling were also apprehended and various items, including currency, motorcycles and mobile phones, were seized from their possession.

Drones have become a 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 at Amritsar, has successfully completed the technical analysis of 200 Pakistani rouge drones to extract valuable information 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. Moreover, regular meetings to share information and coordinate operations with other law enforcement agencies are also conducted.

Punjab