Jammu: In a significant blow to cross-border narcotics networks, security forces intercepted a major heroin consignment along the International Border in Jammu on Saturday. More than four kilograms of the banned substance, estimated to be worth over ₹20 crore in the illicit market, was recovered during a coordinated operation by the Border Security Force and local police.
According to officials, the action was launched after inputs suggested that a drone had flown in from across the border and released a suspicious payload in a forward village in the R S Pura sector. Acting swiftly, joint teams carried out an intensive search of the area and located two packets containing the contraband. The material was seized on the spot and taken into custody for further legal procedures.
A case has been registered, and investigators are working to trace the handlers and intended recipients of the consignment. Security agencies believe such drone-assisted drops are part of a broader smuggling strategy aimed at bypassing ground surveillance along the border.
The latest seizure comes close on the heels of another crackdown in the region. Just a day earlier, police apprehended two alleged operatives linked to a similar cross-border network in Kathua district. The accused — Jatin from Pathankot in Punjab and Danish Dogra, also known as Sajan, from Jakhbar village — were arrested in connection with a drone drop near Nagri that led to the recovery of 150 grams of heroin.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the duo was allegedly coordinating with a Pakistan-based smuggler using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communication to evade detection. Authorities are now examining digital evidence and financial trails to uncover the wider network behind these attempts.
Officials reiterated that surveillance along the International Border has been intensified, particularly in vulnerable stretches, as security forces continue to counter evolving smuggling tactics involving unmanned aerial vehicles.
