BSF recovers 22 kg heroin in Punjab, smugglers escape

Border Security Force (BSF) troopers recovered 22 kg of heroin, valued at Rs.110 crore in the international market, in Punjab's Freozepur district along the India-Pakistan border, an officer said Monday.

The latest heroin recovery was made near the Ulloke border outpost in Ferozepur sector, the officer said.

This is the second major seizure of heroin by the BSF in Punjab in the past 24 hours.

BSF troopers killed an Indian smuggler in exchange of fire and also recovered 22 kg of heroin in the Gurdaspur sector Sunday morning.

"On intervening night of 02/03 November, BSF troops deployed in the area of Border Out Post Ulloke spotted suspicious movement of smugglers ahead of the border security fence. The BSF troops challenged them but they did not pay any heed and continued with their aggressive posture besides firing on BSF troops. The troops opened fire in self defence but the smugglers managed to escape taking cover of high wild growth and foggy weather," a BSF spokesman said.

The BSF has recovered over 328 kg of heroin during this year in the Punjab sector.

Punjab has a 553-km-long, fenced international border with Pakistan.