Rajasthan’s Bikaner Police recently claimed to have achieved a breakthrough by averting an alleged drone-assisted trafficking operation near the India-Pakistan border, officials reported on Sunday. According to police, a drone sent from Pakistan was dropped near the border, and was laden with 10 kilograms of heroin worth Rs 50 crore, along with a cache of automatic weapons and ammunition. 

The cops seized the consignment and took a man belonging to Jodhpur into custody, who was trying to collect the booty. 

A joint team comprising the Bikaner District Special Team (DST), the Cyber wing and the local police executed the operation and foiled the trafficking bid on the basis of intelligence inputs. Officials said the consignment had been dropped inside Indian territory by drones operated by smugglers based across the border in Pakistan. 

Seized arms include 11 automatic weapons, 22 magazines

Police issued a statement, which claimed that the seized consignment included 10 kg of heroin, 11 automatic weapons, 22 magazines and more than 100 rounds of live ammunition. The seized booty, according to police, is being examined as part of the probe to establish their origin, intended recipients and possible links to organised criminal or terror syndicates. 

The investigating police personnel said the operation may be part of a large cross-border smuggling racket which uses drones to ferry narcotics and arms across the international border while trying to evade conventional surveillance.

Jodhpur man falls into police dragnet

Police detained a man trying to collect the consignment, who has been identified as Virendra Singh, a resident of Jodhpur. He is being interrogated at present to ascertain his role in the operation and identify other people connected to the suspected smuggling syndicate. 

Officials said they stumbled upon multiple leads during the preliminary probe and that they are persevering in efforts to trace the remaining members of the network. Search operations in the border belt are underway, and authorities have not ruled out the possibility of more recoveries or arrests. 

IG calls operation a major security success

Inspector General (IG) of the Bikaner Range, Om Prakash termed the seizure the second major success following a similar anti-smuggling operation conducted on February 27, 2026. He credited the coordinated efforts of intelligence agencies, police and vigilant local residents for disrupting cross-border smuggling activities in the region. 

The senior cop added that the recovery comes as a major breakthrough, especially ahead of the Independence Day, noting that the timely interception may have prevented a potential major terror-related or criminal incident.