Behind every cross-border smuggling case involving a youngster lays a family burdened with years of legal battles. This was stated by Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, who urged the youth not to fall prey to false promises of drug and weapon smugglers operating from across the border.
In a video message circulated on various social media platforms, he expressed concern over the increasing involvement of juveniles in cross-border smuggling. He said more than 50 minors have been found involved in such cases in the recent past. He said anti-national elements and their local operatives deliberately target impressionable youngsters, luring them with promises of quick money and even the prospect of being sent abroad.
“The reality is starkly different,” Bhullar said, adding that not a single youngster arrested in such cases received the money they had been promised or was helped to settle abroad. Instead, they were left to face criminal prosecution, while the masterminds remained behind the scenes.
“The price these youngsters eventually pay is far higher than any promised reward,” he said. Families often spend lakhs of rupees on legal battles, while parents are forced to make endless rounds of police stations and courts in a desperate attempt to secure relief for their children. The emotional trauma, social stigma and uncertainty over the future leave lasting scars on entire families. Appealing to parents to remain vigilant, Bhullar urged them to monitor their children’s activities, company and online interactions. He said timely guidance at home and awareness in society could prevent youngsters from becoming easy targets for cross-border smuggling networks.
He also reiterated the Punjab Police stance to dismantle such networks and urged citizens to report any suspicious activity, saying public cooperation remains a key weapon in the fight against cross-border crime.
