THE NATIONAL Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested three more people, including an Afghan national, in connection with the September 2021 Mundra port drug haul case.The agency has claimed that the network, operated by Daad brothers of Afghanistan, sent five drug consignments between November 2020 and September 2021, which were all processed in Delhi and then sent to other parts of the country, including Punjab.
The arrested accused were identified as Rah Matullah, a permanent resident of Kabul but residing in Delhi’s Malviya Nagar for the past few years; Ishwinder Singh from Panipat in Haryana but residing in Model Town in national capital; and Jasbir Singh from Tilak Nagar, Delhi.
“They were arrested yesterday for their active involvement in smuggling of heroin in large consignments camouflaged in containers of talc stones, bituminous coal etc. through the maritime route,” the NIA said in a statement on Thursday.
The agency had last month arrested Harpreet Singh Talwar alias Kabir Talwar, owner of Playboy Club at Delhi’s Samrat Hotel, along with his associate Prince in the case. It has till date arrested about two dozen people in the case and filed chargesheets against 25, including some absconding accused.
According to NIA, the consignment of 3,000 kg of heroin concealed as semi-processed talc that was seized by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in September last year at Mundra port was sent by the largest international drug smuggling syndicates, run by Daad brothers – Hassan Daad and Hussain Daad – both Afghan nationals and wanted by the NIA in the case.
According to the agency, the duo have smuggled multiple consignments of heroin concealed in apparently innocuous consignments of goods such as semi-processed Talc stones and Bituminous coal imported into India. These consignments were imported through different Indian ports, including Mundra, Gujarat and Kolkata and further moved to New Delhi via trucks, officials said.
“The investigation has revealed a vast and widespread network of drug-traffickers, international facilitators/conduits, importers using fake/shell companies, distributors and local wholesalers and retailers, who are operating a huge international drug smuggling racket from many countries, including Afghanistan, Iran and UAE,” the NIA claimed.
AdvertisementIt said its probe has revealed that five consignments of heroin laden goods were imported into India between November 2020 and September 2021. Three such consignments of semi-processed Talc stones ultimately reached at a warehouse in Neb Sarai, Delhi, which was rented by absconding accused Najibullah Khalid in the name of another Afghan national Noorzahi Abdul Salam.
The heroin was segregated from the concealing goods in this warehouse by Afghani experts and then sent for distribution in the market through a network of drug suppliers and peddlers, the NIA has claimed.
“The concealing material was removed to another Warehouse rented out by Shaheen alias Rock, an Afghan national and key associate of Najibullah, through arrested accused Jasbir Singh and Ishwinder Singh. Ishwinder Singh, a known drug distributor, was in direct touch with Javed, an Afghanistan based accused and key aide of Hassan Daad. On directions of Javed, Ishwinder Singh, in connivance with Jasbir Singh fabricated false documents and rented a Warehouse at Vill. Hamidpur, Delhi where the semi-processed Talc was shifted from the Neb Sarai Warehouse for further disposal,” the NIA statement said.
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“Rah Matullah was arrested and 3.9 kgs of heroin was recovered from him. Rah Matullah is an Afghan national who was especially inducted into India around 8-10 months ago for handling the drug trade network run by Hassan Daad and Hussain Daad. Earlier, search conducted at the residence of Ishwinder Singh led to the recovery of heroin in commercial quantities,” the NIA statement said.
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In its first chargesheet filed against 16 people in the case in March this year, the NIA had claimed that those involved in the racket have links with terror groups in Pakistan.
© The Indian Express (P) Ltd
