Surge in drug trafficking stokes fear of Rajasthan becoming next ‘Udata Punjab’

JAIPUR: Will Rajasthan be the next Udata Punjab? This question is being discussed across circles as the cases of drug smuggling have increased in the border cities of the state which joins its boundaries with the neighbouring state.

If official sources are to be believed, 23 cases of heroin smuggling have come to fore in the last two and a half years in four districts of Rajasthan which are near to Pakistan. During these occasions, 125 kg of heroin was brought into the state. Police in fact have seized drug pills, capsules and injections worth Rs 1 crore in the last two years. In the last two and a half years, 9000 cases of drug smuggling have been registered here and 11,000 people have been detained. Surprisingly, eight cops have also been found hands in glove with drug smugglers, said sources.

Police teams confirmed that the smugglers from Punjab are now bringing drugs and arms via Pakistan through Sriganganagar, Bikaner and Barmer routes. The cases of drones dropping drugs and being shot down have increased in the last many months, they confirmed. While in Punjab, there is a battalion at every 20-30 kilometers, here there is one battalion at a 50 km stretch which is a blessing for smugglers. Officials sources said that Punjab has enhanced monitoring on its borders and increased the number of troops and hence the smugglers are working on plan B and are eyeing Rajasthan borders. In fact, agencies have gone strict on Pakistan borders, they added.

In Rajasthan, one battalion has the responsibility to look into 50 kilometers of area. As the population as well as troops are lesser here, the drug smugglers are treating these places like a haven. These cities include Shri Ganganagar, Bikaner's Khajuwala and Barmer. Meanwhile, Jaisalmer lacks a strong road network from the border and hence there comes lesser traffic of drug smugglers, they added. The international drug smugglers from Pakistan are connected with smugglers from Punjab. Now many of the smugglers have family relations with people in Rajasthan and hence comes ease of drug smuggling here.

The web of drug trade spreads is backed by the ISI, Khalistani terrorists and other terrorist groups in Pakistan too. Leading drug smugglers are connected with Punjab smugglers who are now eyeing Rajasthan borders. Recently, police arrested one Swaroop Singh for supplying heroin in Punjab and Delhi. He confessed that his cousin is married in Pakistan. Two men, namely Bilal and Gulab from Pakistan, took his number from there and connected with him.

He dropped four packets of heroin at his first attempt and then nine packets of heroin in Narmer. The smugglers gave him Rs 1 lakh for one packet and this ‘Maal’ was then delivered to Punjab and Delhi parties.

ADG Crime Dinesh MN meanwhile says that the team is working to end the drug smugglers chain here. “We are investigating this case thoroughly as it has Pak connection to it," he added.

Officials said that the smuggling of drugs through drones from across the border with Pakistan has been on the rise. The BSF jawans shot down a drone at Sri Karanpur in the Ganganagar district of Rajasthan. Mostly, Punjab-based smugglers are taking delivery of the drugs being transported via drones from Pakistan, sources said. IANS

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