'Grave Threat To National Security, Public Health': Punjab & Haryana HC Flags Surge In Drug Smuggling Through Drones At Pakistan Border

The Punjab & Haryana High Court has flagged the surge in the smuggling of illicit drugs through drones from across the Pakistan border, which it said has "serious implications on the security and development of the State" and necessitates stringent legal action.

Justice Harpreet Singh Brar said, " Having heard learned counsel for the parties, this Court finds it an urgent necessity to note the steady increase in cross border smuggling of illicit drugs. The introduction of drones as a mode of trafficking has provided a cost efficient shift towards unmanned methods of trafficking. The increasing instances of drug smuggling into India through drones from across the Pakistan border pose a grave threat to national security and public health."

The Court further said that the illicit trade not only fuels organized crime but also has a devastating impact on the youth, who are the most vulnerable to drug abuse.

It added that "the easy availability of narcotics weakens the moral and social fabric of the nation, impeding the progress of future generations. The court recognizes that such offenses are not mere violations of law but have serious implications on the security and development of the State. necessitating stringent legal action."

These observations were made while hearing the plea of anticipatory bail under Sections 21(c), 23 and 29 of the NDPS Act and Sections 10, 11, 12 of Athe ircraft Act.

According to the FIR, on February 1, 2025, BSF officials heard the humming sound of a drone at Border Outpost Chanduwadala. The said officials swung into action and conducted a search. They apprehended two persons, namely Sukhwinder Singh @ Sukhi and Amandeed Singh @ Gora (co-accused working in the field of Harbhajan Singh.

Consequently, a search of both these persons was effected, which resulted in the recovery of one packet of heroin weighing 550 grams along with 2 mobile phones. 

During the interrogation, the co-accused disclosed the name of the petitioner as one of the offenders, resulting in the nomination of the petitioner as one of the accused in the FIR.

Counsel for the petitioner contended that the petitioner has clean antecedents and that there is no evidence with the Investigating Agency to remotely connect the petitioner with the alleged recovery of the contraband, which admittedly has been recovered from the conscious and exclusive possession of the co-accused.

Opposing the bail, the State counsel said that the petitioner is a linchpin of the drug trafficking and the drugs were sent by drone from Pakistan. The petitioner orchestrated the entire delivery of contraband in India by first receiving the location of the co-accused and, thereafter, sending the location to the drug peddler in Pakistan, and a huge quantity of heroin has been recovered from the possession of the co-accused by the Border Security Forces, he added.

After hearing the submissions, the Court said that the investigation is at the nascent stage, and custodial interrogation of the petitioner is imperative to unearth the truth and the modus operandi of how the smuggling of drugs through drones has been carried out.

Stating that no ground is made out to grant anticipatory bail to the petitioner, the Court dismissed the plea.

Mr. A.S. Manaise, Advocate for the petitioner.

Mr. Subhash Godara, Addl.A.G., Punjab.

Title: Sakater Singh v. State of Punjab

Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (PH) 116