In the border districts of Punjab, the situation is going from bad to worse as the state grapples with a growing heroin crisis. This escalating drug problem, primarily driven by the use of drones to smuggle narcotics, is rapidly becoming an epidemic. Smugglers, allegedly backed by state actors in Pakistan, are increasingly relying on sophisticated technology to transport high-purity heroin across the border, leaving law enforcement agencies scrambling for solutions.
The issue mirrors the well-known metaphor of the “elephant in the room,” an obvious problem that everyone is aware of but hesitant to address. Drug enforcement officers, despite their efforts, have been unable to contain the crisis, and the prospects for a comprehensive solution appear dim.
Not only heroin but also weapons, ammunition, and cash are being smuggled in through drones. This alarming trend, which originated along the US-Mexico border, found its way into Punjab in September 2020. Since then, it has expanded, with drones dropping narcotics near the International Border (IB), fueling addiction in border villages and small towns.
Despite claims from officials like Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav, who insists reports of rampant drug use in every third household near the IB are “anecdotal,” the sheer scale of the issue is undeniable. The number of drones intercepted by authorities continues to rise, but for every drone taken down, many more slip through, undetected.
Security agencies face a crafty adversary. Pakistani smugglers often deploy decoy drones, creating a diversion with loud, attention-grabbing machines while a second, quieter drone delivers its payload unnoticed. This cat-and-mouse game in the skies has made it increasingly difficult for law enforcement to combat the flow of heroin into Punjab.
The smuggling process itself is startlingly simple. In some cases, smugglers use messaging apps like WhatsApp to send their location to contacts in Pakistan. Within hours, a drone delivers heroin to the precise spot. Financial transactions are conducted through the hawala system, further complicating efforts to track and shut down the trade.
The involvement of state actors in Pakistan is hard to ignore. The scale and sophistication of the smuggling operations suggest that this is no longer the work of small-time gangsters. High-tech drones, increased payload capacities, and well-organized smuggling networks point to a larger, more coordinated effort.
To tackle the growing threat, Punjab Police have established Village Defense Committees (VDCs) in border villages. These committees are tasked with alerting authorities to the sound of drones in their areas. Additionally, a Drone Emergency Response System (DERS) using artificial intelligence has been introduced. However, the system’s effectiveness remains limited, and more proactive measures are urgently needed.
The use of drones for smuggling is only the latest tactic in a long history of cross-border drug trafficking. Before drones, smugglers used tunnels, plastic pipes, and even rivers to transport contraband into India. The river Ravi, which zigzags across the border, was once a favored route for drug smugglers who floated narcotics-filled bottles downstream into India.
The situation took a dark turn with the arrival of drones, which now deliver death in the form of heroin. The drones’ increasing payload capacity—up to 15 kg in some cases—has led to a surge in drug availability in border regions, destroying countless lives and livelihoods.
Despite some successes, such as the recovery of nearly 100 drones in the past six months in the districts of Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran, and Amritsar, the battle is far from won. In 2023 alone, security forces seized 107 drones, compared to just 53 from 2020 to 2022. This sharp rise in drone interceptions underscores the growing scale of the problem.
Smugglers use local carriers—small-time operatives who retrieve the drug packages and deliver them to unidentified middlemen in nearby towns. These faceless men, often masked and without mobile phones, make it nearly impossible for law enforcement to trace the drugs back to the masterminds of the trade. The carriers are paid Rs 2 lakh to transport a kilogram of heroin, which is later sold for Rs 5 crore in the international market.
Until security agencies can catch the faceless middlemen and develop more effective countermeasures against drones, the heroin crisis will continue to devastate Punjab. The fight is far from over, and until a comprehensive solution is found, the state remains on the frontlines of a battle that is growing more complex with each passing day.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of Khalsa Vox or its members.
