India's Border Guarding Forces have arrested 3,065 smugglers between 2018 and 2020 from borders with neighbouring Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar.
Minister of State of Home Nityanand Rai made the declaration in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday while mentioning that drugs like charas, ganja, brown sugar, heroin, opium, marijuana, and arms were seized along India-Pakistan, India-Bangladesh, India-Nepal, and Indo-Myanmar Borders by the concerned Border Guarding Forces such as Border Security Force (BSF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and Assam Rifles.
The Minister was responding to Bharatiya Janata Party MP Rama Devi's question "whether smuggling of drugs and arms is still going on in the borders areas of the country despite deployment of security forces".
As per information, the Minister said a total of 69 smugglers were arrested from India-Pakistan border from 2018 to 2020; 298 from India-Bangladesh border; 1,069 from India-Nepal border and 1,629 from Indi-Myanmar Border.
The written reply in the Lower House mentioned about the smuggling of drugs and arms from Indo-Bhutan border but there was no any input regarding the arrested smugglers from the border with the country.
The Minister further informed that measures like detailed vulnerability mapping of border, deployment of additional manpower, special surveillance equipments; round the clock surveillance of the border through patrolling, laying Nakas, installation of border fence and flood lights, introduction of force multipliers and Hi-tech surveillance equipments such as Hand Held Thermal Imager (HHTI), Night Vision Device (NVD), Long-Range Reconnaissance and Observation System (LORROS), Battle Field Surveillance Radar (BFSR) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have been taken to prevent smuggling along the border areas.
Upgradation of intelligence network and coordination with sister agencies and conduct of special operations along the border in depth areas is also among the measures to curb smuggling on the border, said the Minister.
Establishment of observation posts, Areas Domination Patrols along the border, use of water craft and boats for domination of riverine area of International Border are other measures taken so far to control the menace of drug and arms smuggling through borders.
( With inputs from ANI )
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