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NIA arrests key accused over 2022 heroin seizure at Attari border
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Amritpal Singh, a key accused in a major heroin seizure case. Singh was part of a cross-border smuggling racket and had been absconding since April 2022. The NIA seized 102kg of heroin valued at nearly ₹700 crore at the Attari border in 2022. Singh's role in the conspiracy came to light through investigations and the interrogation of other arrested individuals. The NIA conducted searches at Singh's premises and recovered a significant amount of cash. The seized drugs were sent from Afghanistan and were supposed to be distributed in various parts of India.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Amritpal Singh, a key accused in the 102kg heroin seizure case who was absconding since April 2022, the agency said on Saturday.
Terming this as a major breakthrough in the case in which investigating agencies had seized the huge haul at the Attari border in 2022, the NIA said Singh was part of a cross-border smuggling racket.
“The accused, a resident of district Tarn Taran, Punjab, was taken into custody by the NIA on Friday. He is the third person to be arrested in the case. Investigations have revealed him to be the handler of cash and launderer of drug proceeds through banking and hawala channels,” a NIA spokesperson said on Saturday
The seized heroin was valued at nearly ₹700 crore, the federal agency said. The seizures were made in two tranches, on April 24 and 26, 2022, by Indian Customs when the drugs arrived in the country from Afghanistan via Attari, Amritsar. The drugs had been concealed in a consignment of licorice roots (mulethi).
“Amritpal Singh was detained by immigration officers on December 12, 2023, while trying to flee to Dubai from the Amritsar international airport. The immigration officers detained him on the basis of orders passed by the competent authority on December 7, 2023, in view of the lookout circular issued against by him by the NIA,” the spokesperson said.
Singh’s role in the conspiracy came to light after the interrogation of two men arrested in the case and also while tracing the bank accounts linking Singh’s monetary transactions with the other arrested people, agency officials said on condition of anonymity.
“NIA investigations revealed Amritpal Singh to have been involved in the larger conspiracy hatched by a global drug cartel. As part of the drug network, he was the conduit for circulation of drug money to various distributors in India as well as the main accused settled abroad. Amritpal Singh used his travel agency and money transfer business to transfer the proceeds of drugs, as per the investigations,” the NIA spokesperson said.
Based on the disclosure of the associates of the accused, the NIA on October 22 conducted searches at Singh’s residential and official premises, leading to the recovery ₹13,412,000 in cash.
“It was found that Amritpal Singh had, at the behest of Dubai-based absconding accused Shahid Ahmed, alias Qazi Abdul Wazood, transferred huge amounts generated as proceeds of drugs into his (Shahid’s) bank accounts and also to the latter’s India-based associate Razi Haider Zaidi and some others,” the NIA said in a statement, adding that on November 8, Singh’s property was also sealed.
The seized drugs was sent to India by Afghanistan- based co-accused Nazir Ahmed Qani, a resident of Mazar-e-Sharif. It was supposed to be delivered to accused Razi Haider Zaidi in India for distribution in various parts of the country, the NIA said.
Last year, the NIA had filed a charge sheet against four men — Shahid Ahmed alias Qazi Abdul Wadood, Nazir Ahmed Qani, Razi Haider Zaidi and Vipin Mittal. While Mittal and Zaidi, both residents of Delhi, were arrested in August 2022, Shahid and Nazir, who are based out of India, have been declared absconding.
