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Fog Fuels Border Smuggling: Drones Deliver Drugs and Arms
21 Dec
Summary
- Winter fog in Punjab provides cover for Pakistan-based smugglers.
- Drones are the preferred tool for cross-border smuggling of drugs and arms.
- BSF enhances surveillance and technology to counter fog-aided smuggling.
Each winter, dense fog blankets Punjab, transforming the 553-kilometer Indo-Pak border into a zone of heightened tension. Pakistan-based smugglers, often supported by the ISI, strategically leverage this seasonal phenomenon to push narcotics, arms, and ammunition into Indian territory. Reduced visibility due to prolonged fog provides an ideal cover for cross-border infiltration and drone-based smuggling operations.
In recent years, drones have become the primary method for such illicit trade. These low-flying, GPS-enabled drones are launched from Pakistan, often under the cover of darkness, to airdrop consignments. While fog was initially seen as a natural shield, security forces have adapted, enhancing surveillance with intensified foot patrols, observation towers, and specially trained sniffer dogs capable of detecting contraband.
The Border Security Force (BSF) has significantly strengthened its defenses, deploying advanced anti-drone grids that have proven effective. As of December 1st, the BSF had recovered approximately six drones and 12 kg of heroin, bringing the year's total to 278 drones and 388 kg of heroin recovered. The BSF remains on high alert, emphasizing that technology counteracts the visual limitations imposed by the fog.
