Mundra drug haul case: NIA files chargesheet against 16 narco-traffickers

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The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed chargesheet against 16 narco-traffickers, six Afghanistan nationals and four Indians including a woman, in a case related to seizure of narcotics drugs at Mundra Port in Gujarat.

Ten people were arrested in the case while six are still on the run.

The accused were chargesheeted for the offences punishable under sections 120B, 466, 471 of the IPC, sections 8(c), 21(c), 23(c) & 29 of the Narcotic Drugs ans Psychotropic Substances Act, and sections 17, 18 & 20 of UA (P) Act.

The chargesheet was filed before the Special NIA Special Court, in Ahmedabad, an official said on Monday.

The ten arrested accused who were held by the NIA are, Machavaram Sudhakar, Durga Purna Govindaraju Vaishali, Rajkumar Perumal, Pradeep Kumar, and six Afghanistan nationals, Mohammad Khan Akhlaqi, Mohammad Hussaini, Fardin Amery, Sobhan Aryanfar, Alokozai Mohammad Khan, and Murtaza Hakimi

The case relates to seizure of 2,988.21 kg of narcotic substance (heroin) at Mundra Port in 2021.

The consignment was being imported by Aashi Trading Company and exported by Hasan Hussain Ltd. Kandahar, Afghanistan through Bandar Abbas Port of Iran.

The narcotics were found concealed in import consignment of 'Semi-processed Talc stones' originating from Afghanistan.

During investigation it was established that the smuggling of narcotics into India was carried out earlier as well by the same set of accused persons.

These included the offences registered by DRI Delhi zonal unit wherein heroin was seized from a warehouse in Delhi.

In Hoshiarpur, Punjab too 20.250 kg of heroin was seized. These two offences were also subsumed in the instant case as connected offences.

"Accused Mohammad Hussain Dad and Mohammad Hasan Dad of Hasan Hussain Ltd, Kandahar, Afghanistan and accused M Sudhakar, DP Vaishali and Rajkumar Perumal of Aashi Trading Company along with others had entered into criminal conspiracy to smuggle huge quantity of narcotics to India by concealing in consignments of semi processed talc," said the NIA.

The consignment sent in September, 2021 was intercepted whereas earlier consignments were received and stored in a warehouse in Delhi for further distribution in Delhi and Punjab.

"Links of the accused Mohammad Hasan Hussain Dad and Mohammad Hasan Dad and other co-conspirators have also emerged with proscribed terror organisations based in Pakistan. The proceeds of drugs trafficking were channelled back to foreign entities through hawala channels at the behest of Pak based terror outfits for use in anti-India activities," the NIA has stated in the chargesheet.

Further investigation into the matter is underway.

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