BSF recovers 23 kg heroin from Punjab border

India Gazette (IANS) Saturday 4th February, 2012

In a major haul, the Border Security Force (BSF) Saturday recovered 23 kg of heroin from two different places along the India-Pakistan international border, BSF officials said.

The heroin, valued at nearly Rs.115 crore, was recovered from the international border belt in Amritsar and Ferozepur districts.

BSF officials said 13 kg of heroin was recovered from near the Pallopatti border out-post (BOP) in Ferozepur sector early Saturday as Pakistani smugglers, taking advantage of the foggy weather and the standing crops, tried to push the consignment into the Indian territory.

"The BSF guards noticed some movement near the BOP and fired a mortar to illuminate the area. The movement of three people, including one with a bag containing the heroin, was seen. The smugglers escaped taking advantage of the darkness," a BSF official said in Ferozepur.

The BSF also recovered one pistol and ammunition from the spot.

In the second incident, alert BSF troopers seized a packet containing 10 kg of heroin from near the Ghoga BOP in Amritsar sector Saturday morning.

In this incident also, the smugglers from Pakistan escaped even though the BSF fired at them.

"BSF jawans (troopers) also recovered a plastic pipe from the spot with which the smugglers were likely to push the consignment across the fencing," a BSF official in Amritsar said.

The 553-km India Pakistan border in Punjab is fenced with barbed wire inside Indian territory.

In the last few weeks, BSF has recovered nearly 45 kg of heroin along the border belt.

BSF Inspector General (Punjab frontier) Aditya Mishra had recently issued special directions to troopers to ensure border domination, especially in the extreme cold and foggy conditions.