Punjab’s border districts are witnessing a rise in the involvement of juveniles in cross-border drug and arms smuggling, with 54 minors arrested over the past 14 months, prompting the security agencies to sound an alarm.The warning comes three days after the Amritsar police arrested two more minors, seizing five sophisticated Pakistan-origin weapons and heroin from them.According to police records, 54 juveniles have been arrested in the past 14 months alone — 32 in drug cases and 22 under the Arms Act.“The situation is very alarming,” said Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar.“In a majority of cross-border drug and weapons cartels busted by us in the past year, juveniles have been found involved at some stage of the operation. In a recent case, where we arrested six persons, including an Afghan national, the trail began with two juveniles caught with sophisticated pistols,” he said. A senior Border Security Force (BSF) official said Pakistani traffickers were instructing their Indian accomplices to recruit teenagers.“They prefer youngsters because they have no criminal record, which keeps them off the radar of security agencies. Moreover, they cannot be punished harshly under the Juvenile Justice Act,” the official said.Bhullar expressed same concerns, noting that cross-border syndicates are increasingly exploiting the vulnerability of minors and the legal protections afforded to them.Gurinderpal Singh Nagra, DSP (Investigations) of the Amritsar rural police, said poverty, unemployment and easy access to drugs and money were major factors.“These youngsters are often lured with quick money or drugs. Many are influenced by social media images glorifying weapons. They take enormous risks without understanding the long-term consequences,” he said.Several operate as pickup agents for consignments dropped by drones under the cover of darkness.In a recent incident on May 13, a juvenile was arrested, along with five others, with six pistols. On May 18, another juvenile was caught with seven pistols and drugs.On April 12, a minor was arrested with two others. Around 6.5 kg of heroin was recovered from them.Counter-intelligence officials point out that villages near the border in Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur and Fazilka districts have become prime targets for recruitment. “Smugglers are systematically exploiting families battling poverty and unemployment,” an official said.