Gujarat: NIA charges 16 for Mundra drug seizure

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a chargesheet against 16 persons in connection with the seizure of heroin worth Rs 21,000 crore at Mundra port by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in September last year.

The investigation has revealed the involvement of Pakistan-based terror outfits to raise funds for use in "anti-India activities", according to the agency.

The NIA invoked charges under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) and criminal conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for the alleged smuggling of 2,998.21kg of heroin, seized on September 13, 2021, concealed in a consignment of semi-processed talc imported by Aashi Trading Co. The consignment had been sent from Afghanistan through the Bandar Abbas port in Iran.

Of the accused, 10 persons, four Indians and six Afghan nationals, have been arrested. There are six other accused persons Mohammed Hussain Dad, Mohammed Hasan Dad, Najibullah Khan Khalid, Esmat Ullah Honari, Abdul Hadi Alizada from Afghanistan and Javad Najafi from Iran. The Dads are the owners of a company named Hasan Hussain Ltd based in Kandahar, and the consignment was sent by this company.

The NIA chargesheet claims that the same set of accused were involved in heroin smuggling from Afghanistan earlier as well.

Two cases have been registered  one by DRI for 16.105kg of heroin seized at a warehouse in Delhi and another seizure of 20.205kg from Hoshiarpur in Punjab.

The NIA alleged that Hasan and Hussain Dad and the other conspirators have links with proscribed terror organizations based in Pakistan. It has also been claimed that money generated from distribution of drugs in India was sent back to "foreign entities through hawala channels at the behest of Pakistan-based terror outfits for use in anti-India activities".