Drug case: NIA raids at 2 locations in Tarn Taran

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 20

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) today said it had conducted raids at two locations in Punjab in a case relating to seizure of over 102 kg of heroin that had arrived in India through Integrated Check Post, Attari, on two separate occasions in April this year.

Heroin haul: Rs 1.27 cr cash recovered

The NIA recovered Rs 1.27 crore cash during searches at the premises of Amritpal Singh, a key suspect in a case of smuggling of 102-kg heroin through the Attari border in April, officials said

During the searches at the premises of Singh, a resident of Tarn Taran in Punjab, the agency also recovered digital devices and documents, it said in a statement

In an official statement, the NIA claimed that during the raids, agency sleuths seized unaccounted cash amounting to Rs 1.27 crore and incriminating documents and digital devices.

The anti-terror federal probe agency further said the raids were conducted at the residence and office premises of suspect Amritpal Singh, a resident of Tarn Taran district of Punjab.

The raids were linked to the ongoing investigation launched by the agency in a case relating to the seizure of over 102-kg heroin on April 24 and April 26 this year, respectively, said the National Investigation Agency.

The contraband had

been concealed in a consignment of liquorice roots (mulethi) by suppliers based in Afghanistan.

The case was initially registered by the Customs Department, Amritsar, and later the NIA took it over on July 30 to investigate the role of multiple companies and individuals who are suspected to be involved in laundering the proceeds of narco-terrorism, said the officials.

Three accused — Vipin Mittal, proprietor of Shri Balaji Trading Co., New Delhi; and two others — Delhi’s New Okhla Vihar residents Razi Haider Zaidi and Asif Abdullah — were earlier arrested by the agency for their involvement in the heroin smuggling.

Further probe in the case revealed that there was a financial transaction between Zaidi and suspect Amritpal Singh and therefore raids were conducted today, NIA officials said.

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