Border Security Force (BSF) troopers on Tuesday morning recovered 20 kilograms of heroin, valued at Rs 100 crore in the international market.
The seizure was made following an encounter with smugglers from Pakistan side near border outpost Bharopal in Amritsar sector, a BSF spokesman said. The contraband was seized following a search operation. The spot is located 150 metres inside the Indian territory. With the latest seizure, the BSF has seized 82 kg of heroin in the first 35 days of this year.
The total heroin seized in 2013 in Punjab sector was 322 kg. “BSF personnel at outpost Bharopal in Amritsar sector observed suspicious movement of smugglers along the border fence. When challenged, the smugglers fired at BSF troops, who retaliated in defence. However, the smugglers, taking advantage of the dense fog, managed to escape back to Pakistan,” the spokesman said. BSF Punjab Frontier Inspector General Ajay Singh Tomar has asked officers and troops to be vigilant along 553 km India-Pakistan international border in Punjab to thwart smuggling of drugs. The troops are extra vigilant during the winter months when dense fog hampers visibility in the border belt.