Punjab Border Under Drone Siege: BSF Seizes 24 Pakistani Drones Every Month; Haul Includes Heroin, Weapons

Drones offer smugglers stealth, flexibility, and a much lower risk of detection as compared to human infiltration.File Photo.

According to the Border Security Force (BSF), this year has seen a sharp rise in drone-based smuggling attempts along the Punjab border – on average 24 Pakistani drones are being seized every month.

BSF Punjab Frontier officials said that a total of 272 drones were seized between January 1 and November 30, 2025. These weren’t empty vessels; the haul included 367.8 kg of heroin, 19 kg of ICE, 14.5 kg of opium, 200 weapons, 3,625 rounds of ammunition, 10.2 kg of RDX/IED material, 12 hand grenades and 265 magazines.

The arrests linked to these operations signal organised cross-border smuggling. BSF sources reported that 251 Indian nationals, including 133 smugglers, were apprehended. The detainees also included 18 Pakistani, 4 Nepalese, and 3 Bangladeshi nationals, and in some operations, Pakistani infiltrators were neutralised.

According to BSF officers, this surge in drone interceptions reflects a deliberate shift by smugglers, possibly backed by hostile forces, away from traditional infiltration methods. Instead of risking manpower, drones are being used increasingly for arms-dropping, narcotics transport, and even reconnaissance missions across the border.

This shift in tactics highlights a deeper security challenge. Drones offer smugglers stealth, flexibility, and a much lower risk of detection as compared to human infiltration. According to security sources within the BSF, the growing drone threat demands “constant technological and operational countermeasures”.

According to BSF officials, these revelations are alarming for citizens and policymakers. The scale at which drugs and arms are being smuggled and the diversity of people involved suggest a well-organised, high-stakes criminal network operating across borders.

Source: Times of India