(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Oct 12 (IANS) Alert troopers of the Border Security Force (BSF) have foiled foiled multiple cross-border smuggling attempts, seizing five drones carrying heroin and a pistol along the Amritsar and Tarn Taran India-Pakistan border areas in Punjab, an official said on Sunday.

A statement mentioned that acting on specific intelligence input, BSF troopers recovered a total of five drones from areas near Naushera Dhalla, Havelian, Rajatal and Dal villages. The recoveries included three packets of heroin weighing over 2.29 kgs and one pistol with magazine.

These consecutive recoveries highlight BSF's operational excellence, vigilance and commitment to safeguarding the nation's frontiers against Pakistan-based narco-drone networks, an official said.

Earlier, a gold smuggler was apprehended by the Border Security Force (BSF) at the India-Bangladesh border, and the precious metal was handed over to the concerned authorities, officials said on Sunday.

"Troops of the 32 Battalion of the South Bengal Frontier of the BSF, deployed at the Horandipur Border Outpost on the India-Bangladesh international border in West Bengal, achieved a significant success by apprehending an Indian smuggler red-handed," the BSF said in a statement.

Based on precise and reliable intelligence, the troops recovered 20 gold biscuits weighing. The estimated value of the seized gold is approximately Rs 2.82 crore, according to the officials.

On Saturday night, the troops of the 32 Battalion deployed at Horandipur BOP received credible intelligence from confidential sources that a person from Muslimpara village near the India–Bangladesh border was planning to smuggle gold brought from Bangladesh through the Horandipur area.

Upon receiving the information, the officials on duty were put on extra alert, and a special ambush was laid at the suspected location to catch the smuggler red-handed.

At around 6 a.m. on Sunday, the ambush party noticed a suspicious individual moving cautiously behind a dense bamboo grove, the officials said.

"The person was immediately surrounded and apprehended. Upon searching him, a plastic packet was recovered, which, when opened, was found to contain 20 gold biscuits. The smuggler was taken into custody on the spot and brought to the Horandipur BOP for further questioning," they added.

The seized gold biscuits and the arrested suspect were handed over to the concerned authorities for further legal action.

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