Tarn Taran district police in Punjab have registered 490 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, arrested 630 individuals, and recovered 47.527 kg of heroin in the past three months, as part of an intensified crackdown on the Pakistan-linked drug-and-guns nexus fuelling organised crime in the state's border villages. The operation, conducted under the state government's 'Gangstran te Vaar' campaign, has also seen assets worth ₹65 crore frozen within a year, the majority in the last three months alone.

Scale of the Crackdown

Senior Superintendent of Police (Tarn Taran) Surendra Lamba on Monday confirmed that the district police have systematically dismantled gangster networks that were receiving logistical support from across the border. The frozen assets were, according to Lamba, "directly or indirectly linked to gangsters and drug smugglers and were being used to run their operations."

Putting the current drive in historical context, 313 NDPS cases were registered in 2024, leading to 358 arrests and the recovery of 115 kg of heroin. The preceding year saw 1,334 cases, 1,662 arrests, and over 244 kg of heroin recovered — underscoring the sustained and escalating nature of the challenge.

The Drone-Drugs-Guns Nexus

SSP Lamba described a rapidly evolving smuggling model in which narcotics and weapons are dropped into Indian territory via drones launched from Pakistan. Tarn Taran shares approximately 102 km of border with Pakistan, making it one of the most vulnerable districts in the state.

"Small drones can carry loads ranging from 0.5 to 12 kg, while larger drones can drop up to 25 kg in a single sortie. These drones can penetrate 5 to 15 km into Indian territory, posing significant challenges for security agencies," Lamba said. Consignments collected from border areas are subsequently distributed to cities, with the youth being specifically targeted as end consumers and local operatives.

Operation Prahar and Ongoing Campaigns

Under the recently conducted Operation Prahar, as many as 236 accused were arrested within six days, including 10 proclaimed offenders. The operation also yielded a recovery of 3.5 kg of heroin. A total of 50 teams, each comprising 10 police personnel, were deployed for the blitz.

Cumulatively, under the 'Yudh Nashiyan Virudh' and 'Gangstran Te Vaar' campaigns, the district police have registered 1,736 related cases and arrested over 2,200 individuals — networks that, according to officials, are operated and directed from foreign soil.

What Comes Next

Despite being described as the "second line of defence" — with the Border Security Force (BSF) as the first — the district police have maintained that intelligence-led operations will continue to be the primary tool against the drone-enabled supply chain. With Pakistan's involvement in arming and financing criminal syndicates repeatedly flagged by senior officials, security agencies are expected to intensify inter-agency coordination along the border in the coming months.