Punjab Police on Sunday, 13 September 2026, reported a measurable decline in the availability of heroin in the state, attributing the shift to a multi-layered counter-drone strategy implemented in close coordination with the Border Security Force (BSF) along the international border with Pakistan. The announcement underlines one of the most operationally intensive anti-narcotics pushes in Punjab's recent history.

The Anti-Drone Arsenal on the Border

Punjab Police are currently deploying nine anti-drone systems across sensitive border districts. Three 'Baaj Akh' systems — operational in Amritsar, Tarn Taran, and Ferozepur since August 2025 — provide early detection and jamming of rogue drones attempting to ferry narcotics across the border.

In addition, three units of Drone Sense D200 Pro, a long-endurance mobile drone detection platform, were deployed at strategic locations in border districts from 3 September, and are already showing results. According to a police spokesperson, the platform 'precisely detects and pinpoints drone-related activity and actual dropping locations, enabling timely ground intervention.'

Ground Response: Teams, Nakas and CCTV

On the ground, 52 Drone Response Teams (DRTs) comprising 147 police personnel operate in tandem with the BSF, responding to drone alerts, reaching suspected drop locations, conducting searches, and intercepting individuals collecting smuggled consignments. Backing them up are 64 second-line defence nakas staffed by 600 police personnel, complemented by 2,367 CCTV cameras installed at 585 locations across the border belt.

Village Defence Committees (VDCs) in border areas have been formally integrated into the drone response architecture, serving as what officials describe as the 'eyes and ears' of the police — extending surveillance reach into rural communities that were previously difficult to monitor centrally.

Yudh Nashiyan Virudh: Key Numbers

The state-wide 'Yudh Nashiyan Virudh' (War Against Drugs) campaign, running since 1 March 2025, has resulted in the arrest of nearly 80,000 people. A total of 486 drones have been recovered during this period. Financial investigations have led to the freezing of property worth more than ₹336 crore, targeting the economic base of drug networks. Under the reward policy, informants receive ₹25,000 for every drone recovery, with nearly ₹2 crore disbursed in rewards this year alone.

New Threat: Pharmaceutical Drugs from Other States

Despite the heroin decline, Punjab Police flagged that pharmaceutical drugs smuggled from other Indian states have now emerged as the most significant drug law enforcement challenge in the state. Analysis of pharmaceutical seizures indicates that most of these drugs are manufactured not in Punjab but in Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi, among other states — pointing to a complex inter-state supply chain that border technology alone cannot address.

This development signals that while the drone-heroin corridor is being effectively disrupted, traffickers are adapting, shifting to pharmaceutical abuse vectors that are harder to intercept at the border and require coordination with state governments and the Centre's drug regulatory machinery. Punjab's anti-narcotics battle, by all indications, is far from over.