Chandigarh, June 6: With the Border Security Force plunging loopholes in the 553-km fence Punjab shares with Pakistan, drug smugglers across the border have resorted to a new modus operandi to supply narcotics in India. According to reports, using drone for drug delivery is the latest innovative tactic adopted by the smugglers.

BSF sources while speaking to TOI confirmed the recent sighting of a drone near Gurdaspur frontier. The drone, they claimed, was planted with a plastic bag containing narcotic substances.

The drone flew back towards Pakistan after being detected by the BSF. The personnel posted at ‘Saharan’ checkposts claimed it as flying at a height of nearly 200 metres.

In 2017, the BSF had sighted 19 drones with heroin contrabands in Amritsar, 7 in Gurdaspur and 5 each in Abohar and Ferozepur.

The BSF, which is charged of guarding the Punjab border with Pakistan, had seized nearly 270 kg heroin last year, while arresting over 50 peddlers involved in the crime. The amount of seizures was over 18 per cent more than 2016. The forces had also gunned down a total of six intruders.

The use of drones is not the only innovative method adopted by smugglers. In 2017, the BSF red-flagged about the use of trained scuba drivers from across the border who used the riverine gaps in the Sutlej and Ravi to deliver the contrabands.

Punjab reels under severe drug crisis, with massive section of the state's youth reeling under addiction. A 2015 report commissioned by Government of India's Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment revealed that 76 per cent of Punjab is subjected to narcotic substance abuse.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 06, 2018 04:41 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).