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Afghan drug smuggler running well-oiled ring in border belt
Four Indian smugglers, including one from Delhi, have been booked for allegedly running Afghan smuggler Mohammad Hussain Dad’s network
Afghanistan-based notorious drug smuggler Mohammad Hussain Dad, who is wanted in a 3000-kg heroin seizure case, has been spreading his network in the border districts of Punjab for smuggling the contraband, according to sources in the Punjab police.
Dad, with the help of his two Pakistan-based associates Hazi Niyamat Ullah and Zamil, has been in contact with several Indian smugglers for the heroin smuggling from across the border, they said.
The state special operation cell (SSOC) of Punjab police have also booked four Indian smugglers for allegedly operating Dad’s network in the border districts of Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Ferozepur and Tarn Taran.
They have been identified as Pankaj Vaid of New Delhi, Manpreet Singh of Sultanwind area in Amritsar city, Harpinder Kumar of Rampura Phul village in Bathinda district and Surinder Singh of Tega Singh Wala village in Ferozepur district.
Some unidentified persons have also been nominated in the case, registered on Friday under Sections 18, 21, 22, 23 (C), 24, 27 (a), 29, 30 and 31 of the NDPS Act and Sections 120 and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code. HT has a copy of the FIR.
According to the FIR, all the accused in the case have been running a nexus of heroin smuggling at the behest of Dad and a special drive should be launched to end the network. Huge quantity of drugs can also be seized with the arrest of the nominated accused, the FIR, which is registered on the basis of a tip-off to deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Harwinderpal Singh, further said.
Earlier, Dad was booked by the national investigation agency (NIA) during the probe into the heroin haul case that was seized at Mudra port in Gujarat. Dad was among eleven Afghan nationals who were charge-sheeted in the case. The NIA had found Dad’s links with various terror organisations in Pakistan.
A senior Punjab police official, who didn’t wish to be named, said, “as per the investigations of our last cases related to heroin smuggling from Pakistan, it was found that most of the Pakistani and Afghani smugglers have been smuggling working at the behest of terror organisations. They use the proceed from drugs for terror funding.”
Earlier on July 12, the SSOC had nominated Pakistan’s notorious smuggler Bilal Sandhu for smuggling heroin from across the border using drones.
“Bilal Sandhu is wanted in several heroin smuggling cases. Bilal has made several sleeper cells in Punjab, especially in the border area. Besides heroin, Bilal is also accused of sending arms and ammunition using drones,” the officer said.
Sources said the SSOC has made several teams to nab the associates of Dad in India to break the heroin smuggling network.
