Pak smugglers deploy failsafe drones, pose new challenge for Border Security Forces

CHANDIGARH: Security agencies are facing a fresh technical hurdle in the fight against cross-border smuggling, as drones used by traffickers from Pakistan are now reportedly equipped with failsafe mechanisms that allow them to return to their launch points if disrupted by anti-drone systems. Sources in the state police said many unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) carrying drugs and weapons are programmed to sense interference from jamming, locking, or neutralisation attempts, triggering an automatic back-to-home command. This makes recovery of contraband harder, with officers now either forcing drones to turn back or succeeding in neutralising them mid-flight. Earlier, disruption meant bringing the UAV down, but now these drones are programmed to fly back safely. Its the biggest technical challenge we face, a senior officer said on condition of anonymity. Officials estimate around 15 drones are spotted daily along the Indo-Pak border. In Bhikhiwind subdivision of Tarn Taran district, the deployment of anti-drone systems has already yielded results, with police arresting 13 people and registering 12 FIRs this season. The Punjab government has ordered nine anti-drone systems from Electronics Corporation of India Limited at a cost of Rs 5.5 crore each, totalling Rs 51 crore, to strengthen the crackdown. According to BSF data, 350 smugglers have been caught since January last year averaging one arrest every two days. Of these, 161 were arrested in 2024 and 186 between January and September this year, including 16 Pakistani intruders, four Nepalese nationals, and three Bangladeshis. Three Pakistani infiltrators were neutralised during this period. Sources said the BSF has intensified ground and aerial surveillance, deploying night-vision devices, motion sensors, and anti-drone systems, while coordinating closely with Punjab Police and central agencies to identify local links in transnational smuggling cartels. Most arrests have taken place in Amritsar, Tarn Taran, and Ferozepur high-risk belts with frequent drone intrusions, a senior BSF official said, adding that smugglers are now relying on GPS-enabled delivery methods and recruiting minors with no prior criminal records to avoid detection.