In a striking observation, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has expressed grave concern over the alarming surge in cross-border drug trafficking operations using drones. Justice Rupinderjit Chahal warned that this growing menace poses not only a serious threat to national security but also endangers the youth of the country.
The Court noted that “there is a steady increase in cross-border smuggling of illicit drugs through drones,” emphasizing that such activities from across the Pakistan border are undermining both national safety and societal well-being.
The remarks came while the Court was hearing an anticipatory bail plea filed by a man accused of financing heroin smuggling operations that allegedly used drones to transport the contraband from Pakistan into India.
The petitioner claimed innocence, arguing he had been falsely implicated based on the statement of a co-accused who identified him as the financier of the smuggling operation. His earlier plea for bail before the trial court had already been rejected.
The State, however, countered that the petitioner was a key player in an organized network dealing in heroin transported via drones, asserting that his custodial interrogation was essential to uncover the full extent of the operation and to recover the drones, devices, SIM cards, and financial trails involved.
It was further highlighted that the petitioner was already named in multiple similar cases and had been declared a proclaimed offender earlier this year.
Taking into account the gravity of the accusations and the broader implications for national security, the High Court refused to grant anticipatory bail, observing that thorough investigation through custodial interrogation was indispensable.
