Five arrested as drone-smuggling heroin worth Rs 55 cr seized near Rajasthan border

JAISALMER: In a major anti-smuggling operation near the India–Pakistan international border, police in Rajasthan's Sriganganagar district, along with CID Intelligence and the Border Security Force (BSF), foiled a large-scale attempt to smuggle heroin dropped via drones from across the border in Pakistan.

Acting on specific intelligence inputs, a joint team recovered 10.830 kg of heroin (approximately 11 kg), valued at around ₹55 crore in the international market, and arrested five smugglers.

The heroin was recovered from remote sand dunes in the Rawla police station area near the border. Five accused were arrested in connection with the case.

Superintendent of Police Harishankar disclosed details of the operation during a press conference on Friday.

According to the SP, CID Intelligence had received inputs that a large consignment of heroin would be dropped using drones from across the border and collected by local smugglers. Acting on this information, police coordinated closely with the BSF and intensified surveillance in the area.

Following the tip-off, a joint search operation involving Rawla police, CID Intelligence officials, and BSF personnel was carried out. During the operation, five accused were apprehended from a remote area in the 2 KND region. Among them, three are residents of Punjab who had come to collect the consignment.

The arrested accused are:

• Harmesh alias Jora Singh (32), resident of Dhanur, Sriganganagar
• Ranjit Singh (29), resident of 2 KND, Rawla
• Sonu Singh (25), resident of Jalalabad, Punjab
• Kirtan Singh (19), resident of Jalalabad, Punjab
• Gurpreet Singh (21), resident of Jalalabad, Punjab

From their possession, authorities recovered:

• 20 packets of heroin (500 grams each), totalling 10.830 kg
• Plastic radium sticks (used for identification during night drops)
• Yellow adhesive tape used for packaging

SP Harishankar said the consignment was likely dropped either in a single large drone sortie or through multiple drone trips from across the border. Further investigation is underway to determine the exact modus operandi.

All five accused are currently being interrogated. A large-scale search operation is still ongoing in coordination with the BSF to trace any additional consignments or links.

This successful joint operation highlights the increasing use of drone technology in cross-border narcotics smuggling and the heightened vigilance of security agencies along the India–Pakistan border.