Security beefed up as Gujarat’s Kutch drug smugglers' new haven
NEW DELHI: After the Central government mounted strict vigil along the international borders falling in Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir, the shoreline of Gujarat’s Kutch district is emerging as the new haven for drug smugglers operating from across India’s borders.
With regular incidents of high-grade narcotics consignments being washing ashore along the coastline of Gujarat, especially in the Jakhau region of Kutch, the Ministry of Home Affairs has red-flagged the area with coastal security agencies, including the Border Security Force (BSF), being asked to mount additional vigil.
Since the middle of April this year, 29 packets of charas weighing over 30 kilograms have been recovered off Jakhau coast. According to BSF sources, “The recoveries have reached an average frequency of a packet of consignment almost every day. Most consignments are products believed to be originating in Afghanistan. In fact, the last charas recovery from the area this week bears the label of ‘Afghan Product’ printed on its packaging.”
Sources say these are consignments that are “being brought into the country from the high seas by trawlers operating under the garb of venturing out for fishing.” Often, the smugglers dump their products due to fear of the various security agencies patrolling the area.
With consignments being recovered regularly from its deserted beaches, the Union government has already sanctioned `164 crore to set up eight coastal outposts for BSF along the Medi-Jakhau coast in Kutch, to ensure round-the-clock surveillance of the area.
It has already set up and is operating five of the 18 coastal outposts and one OP Tower at Lakhpatwari in Sir Creek area from Okha. The tower will augment domination and ensure round-the-clock presence of BSF troops in the region.
According to BSF sources, while the focus has been on the western frontiers of Punjab, which has been a known as a dump for drugs from Pakistan, Kutch of late has been in focus due to an unusual spike in the amount of drug haul.
Afghan drugs wash up, one consignment a day
According to sources from the Border Security Force guarding the Jakhau coast, “The recoveries have reached an average frequency of a packet of consignment almost every day. Most consignments are products believed to be originating in Afghanistan. In fact, the last charas recovery from the area this week bears the label of ‘Afghan Product’ printed on it.”