Punjab to deploy anti-drone systems amid cross-border drug trafficking

Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav announced on Monday that testing of the anti-drone system has been completed, and installations will begin shortly along the second line of defence across the border state.

Addressing a press conference, DGP Yadav stated that the deployment will be carried out in coordination with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Border Security Force (BSF).

“We have begun preparations, and within the next few months, we will intercept drones bringing drugs and weapons from Pakistan. Several meetings with MHA and BSF have already taken place,” he said.

The DGP also revealed that 31 major hawala operators involved in laundering drug money have been arrested — a first in recent months. The police recovered more than Rs 8 crore during the crackdown. He said the Punjab Government has also approved the transfer of prisoners, including drug smugglers and Hawala operators to other states to break their network.

Meanwhile, clarifying the Punjab Government’s May 31 deadline to make the state ‘drug-free,’ DGP Gaurav Yadav emphasised that the focus is on dismantling drug supply chains rather than achieving numerical targets for arrests or seizures.

“By ‘drug-free,’ we mean that drugs will no longer be available on the streets. No specific targets—whether in terms of arrests or drug recoveries—have been assigned to Police Commissioners or district SSPs to achieve a drug-free state,” he said.

The DGP said that following the deadline, field surveys will also be conducted with the assistance of Intelligence units. “District heads who will achieve a drug-free state will be rewarded, while those who fall short will be held accountable. However, this is not a figure-based review system,” Yadav clarified.

In keeping with the spirit of the initiative, and as per the directions of CM Bhagwant Mann, the police will not register cases against drug addicts or peddlers found with small quantities of intoxicants. “Instead, they will be sent to de-addiction and rehabilitation centers under the special provisions of the NDPS Act, to help them overcome their addiction,” the DGP said.

For speedy trials of narcotics cases, the DGP said the state government has secured approval from the Punjab and Haryana High Court to establish 30 special NDPS courts.

DGP Yadav also lauded the performance of the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), led by Special DGP Kuldip Singh, for achieving a 90 per cent conviction rate in NDPS cases.

Responding to concerns over the increasing number of police encounters, DGP Yadav said there was zero tolerance on the use of force against the police. “The Punjab Police will respond in self-defence” he added.

Punjab