NIA chargesheets Punjab man involved in smuggling of 500 kg heroin from Pakistan

Investigations by NIA have revealed that 500 kg of heroin was smuggled in from Pakistan via the sea route to Punjab via Delhi and further distribution to many places in the country.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday chargesheeted a man from Punjab for his alleged involvement in a case related to smuggling of 500 kilograms of heroin from Pakistan to India.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday chargesheeted a man from Punjab for his alleged involvement in a case related to smuggling (HT File)

The accused, identified as Manoj Kumar Sharma from Batala, has been named in the seventh supplementary chargesheet filed before the NIA Special Court in Ahmedabad, an official statement said. He is the 25th accused to be chargesheeted in the case. The proceeds of the drug sales were allegedly used to fund terrorists and terror organisations in Kashmir.

The NIA had taken over the case from Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), Gujarat, in 2020 on the directives of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in view of the international linkages and security ramifications of the matter.

Investigations by NIA have revealed that 500 kg of heroin was smuggled in from Pakistan via the sea route to Punjab via Delhi and further distribution to many places in the country. NIA’s probe so far has established the involvement of syndicate members in other countries, such as Italy, Australia, Thailand, UAE, Iran and Afghanistan, in the criminal conspiracy.

NIA investigations further revealed that Sharma was also involved in further laundering of the proceeds through Hawala to Pakistan, Thailand, Italy and Australia and had purchased several properties from the money generated by selling drugs/heroin, the probe agency said.