Home Ministry to go hi-tech in war on drugs along Pak, Bangla borders
Smuggling of drugs from across the Pakistan and Bangladesh border has emerged as a major problem in India. The Ministry of Home Affairs has been preparing to fight the same with advanced technology.
IANS
Dec 25, 2022 03:04
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SANKET PATHAK
New Delhi, Dec 25 (IANS) Smuggling of drugs from across the Pakistan and Bangladesh border has emerged as a major problem in India. The Ministry of Home Affairs has been preparing to fight the same with advanced technology.
With an increase in such cases in the last few years, the BSF has seized drugs in large quantities in the last three years.
In 2019, 12,542.566 kg of drugs was recovered, and 12,492.439 kg was recovered in 2020, while 2021 saw a major increase with the recovery of 20,118.950 kg.
The smuggling of drugs across the international borders is viewed as a serious threat to national security.
The agencies have detected that the methods used in smuggling of drugs are also being used in arms smuggling and terrorist infiltration.
Along with this, they have procured evidence of nexus between the smugglers and anti-national groups, revealing that the profits from the sale of narcotics is being used for terror operations.
Home Minister Amit Shah had recently acknowledged terror financing with drug money as a serious threat.
The Centre has prepared plans on many fronts and taken strict steps to protect the country's borders from drug trafficking.
For this, BSF, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and Assam Rifles (AR) have been given additional powers for seizing drugs under the Narcotics Act.
Detailed mapping along the border has been done to strengthen the monitoring by deploying specialised surveillance equipment in the sensitive areas.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) apprised that advanced technology, including surveillance equipments such as Hand Held Thermal Imager (HHTI), Night Vision Device (NVD), Twin Telescope and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) are being used as ways of force multipliers and for effective domination in the border areas.
Apart from this, Long Range Reconnaissance and Observation System (LORROS), Battle Field Surveillance Radar (BFSR) have also been deployed.
Integrated surveillance technology consisting of CCTV/PTZ cameras, command and control system with IR sensors and infrared alarms have also been installed along selected stretches of the international border, an official said.
The installation of 5,500 CCTV cameras will also be done in the coming days to improve monitoring.
Border flood lights have been installed along the border security fence to illuminate the area during dark.
According to the information, dominance is being achieved by the BSF on the borders by day-night patrolling, setting up blockades and deployment of monitoring posts.
At the same time, the BSF is running special operations in collaboration with the State Police, National Crime Bureau (NCB) and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI).
