Three more arrests have been made by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) from Delhi and Haryana in connection with the Mundra port heroin haul. One person is a permanent resident of Kabul, News18 has learnt.
They were arrested on Wednesday for their active involvement in the smuggling of heroin in large consignments camouflaged in containers of talc stones, bituminous coal, etc, through the maritime route.
This case pertains to the operations of one of the largest international drug smuggling syndicates, run by brothers Hassan Daad and Hussain Daad, said officials.
The Daad brothers are Afghan nationals who are already wanted by the NIA in the Mundra case.
The duo has smuggled multiple consignments of heroin concealed in apparently innocuous shipments of goods such as semi-processed talc stones and bituminous coal imported into India.
These consignments were brought in through different Indian ports, including Mundra in Gujarat, and Kolkata, and further moved to New Delhi via trucks.
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 the UAE, said sources.
The investigations conducted so far have 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 a warehouse in Neb Sarai, Delhi, which was rented by the absconding accused, Najibullah Khalid, in the name of another Afghan national, Noorzahi Abdul Salam, said officials.
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 concealing material was removed to another warehouse rented out by Shaheen (alias Rock), an Aghan 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 the directions of Javed, Ishwinder Singh, in connivance with Jasbir Singh created false documents and rented a warehouse at Village Hamidpur in Delhi where the semi-processed talc was shifted from the Neb Sarai warehouse for further disposal.
Sustained examination of Ishwinder Singh revealed the presence of a close aide and associate of Javed, namely Rah Matullah, an Afghan national, in Delhi. Rah Matullah was arrested and 3.9 kg of heroin was recovered from him.
Rah Matullah is an Afghan national who was specially inducted into India around 8-10 months ago for handling the drug trade network run by Hassan Daad and Hussain Daad.
Earlier, a search conducted at the residence of Ishwinder Singh led to the recovery of heroin in commercial quantities.
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