BSF seizes 14 kg heroin valued at Rs.70 crore in Punjab

Border Security Force (BSF) troopers seized 14 kg heroin along the India-Pakistan border in the Ferozepur sector, a BSF spokesman said on Sunday.

The heroin, valued at Rs.70 crore in the international market, was found concealed in four packets near the border outpost KK Barrier in Ferozepur sector, over 300 km from here.

The contraband was seized following a tip-off about heroin smuggling from Pakistan side.

"BSF troops observed suspicious movement of Pakistani smugglers on the other side of the border security fence near the International Border. As the smugglers inserted a pipe through the border fence to drop the packets on this side of the border, BSF troops asked them to stop. However, the smugglers continued with their aggressive posture.

"Sensing danger to their lives and to check further misadventure of the smugglers, the BSF troopers opened fire in self-defence. However, the smugglers managed to escape under the cover of darkness and high growth of paddy crop," a BSF spokesman said.

The BSF troopers later seized the 14 packets along with a 12-feet PVC pipe from the spot after a search.

With the latest seizure, the BSF has seized over 164 kg heroin this year in the Punjab sector, including over 75 kg in the Ferozepur sector. The seizure of heroin in 2014 was 361 kg in the Punjab sector, the highest for any year.