The Punjab Police have installed over 2,291 CCTV cameras at 585 locations along the border belt, creating a high-tech second line of defence to choke organised crime networks.While the Border Security Force (BSF) continues to guard the international boundary, the police are ensuring that even if contraband slips through, it does not travel far into the interior.This secondary layer of protection is further bolstered by bringing 41 police stations in border districts under comprehensive CCTV coverage, feeding into a broader ecosystem of real-time monitoring and response, according to Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav. He said anti-drone vigilance had been intensified, especially in districts that witnessed repeated cases of arms and narcotics smuggling.“The focus is on dismantling the entire ecosystem, from cross-border supply to last-mile delivery. The second line of defence will ensure that even if an attempt is made, it is detected early and neutralised swiftly,” he added.“The second line of defence is where the chain is broken. While border sealing remains the first layer, any breach that occurs is swiftly intercepted within our jurisdiction. Our nakas are no longer routine checkpoints; these are intelligence-led, positioned and operated on the basis of verified inputs,” said Suhail Qasim Mir, SSP, Amritsar (Rural).“Village-level defence committees and local networks are also closely integrated into the security framework, ensuring that ground-level movement does not go unnoticed. We are also continuously strengthening critical infrastructure, surveillance systems, mobility and rapid response mechanisms, so that this layer functions both as a deterrent and a disruption point for any criminal activity,” he added.Sources said the Punjab Police gave a serious push to a strong CCTV network following the killing of two cops at Adhian village police outpost in Gurdaspur district, barely a km from the Pakistan border.Meanwhile, the police continued its drive against drugs for the 424th day on Wednesday and arrested 144 drug smugglers. It also seized 4.1 kg heroin, 55 kg poppy husk, 647 intoxicant tablets/capsules and Rs 1.13 lakh drug money. With this, the total number of drug smugglers arrested so far has gone up to 61,562.