Key accused in Attari drugs seizure case arrested in Delhi

An official statement issued by NIA on Wednesday said the accused, Athar Saeed alias Chacha, had handled the proceeds of the drugs on the directions of the kingpin, Shahid Ahmed.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested another key accused in the ₹700 crore Attari border drugs seizure case, taking the total number of arrests in the matter to eight.

Athar Saeed was arrested on Tuesday after the NIA teams searched his premises in Delhi’s Daryaganj and seized incriminating documents

An official statement issued by NIA on Wednesday said the accused, Athar Saeed alias Chacha, had handled the proceeds of the drugs on the directions of the kingpin, Shahid Ahmed.

A total of 103 kg of heroin was seized by the customs department in April 2022 after it was smuggled into India from Afghanistan through the Integrated Check Post (ICP), Attari, Amritsar. The drugs were concealed in a consignment of liquorice roots (mulethi), according to the NIA.

Saeed was arrested on Tuesday after the NIA teams searched his premises in Delhi’s Daryaganj and seized incriminating documents. The documents are being examined by the anti-terror agency to unravel the complete conspiracy behind the massive drugs racket, the statement said.

NIA investigations have revealed that Saeed was instrumental in creating and sustaining a network of hawala operators and others for the transfer of the money earned from the sale of narcotics from India to Afghanistan and to the UAE. In this manner, he was channelling the proceeds of the drugs to the main accused persons based abroad, the NIA said. He also played a critical role in helping the prime accused flee from the country, it said.

Further investigations are underway to unravel the complete conspiracy, the NIA added.