The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday chargesheeted 11 persons including six absconding accused and four companies in the case relating to seizure of 532 kg of banned drug heroin at Integrated Check Post at Attari in Punjab.
The accused persons and entities have been charged under IPC Section relating to criminal conspiracy besides relevant provisions of the Narcotics, Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The NIA filed the chargesheet before the NIA Special Court, Mohali, Punjab.
The chargehseeted accused include Tariq Ahmad Lone, Jasbir Singh, Nirbhail Singh, Sandeep Kaur, Ajay Gupta, Ranjit Singh, Iqbal Singh, Farookh Lone, Sahil, Shoaib Noor and Amir Noor under Sections 120-B IPC, NDPS Act and UA(P) Act.
The charge-sheeted companies include Kanishk Enterprises Pvt. Ltd., Gupta Fast Forwarders Pvt. Ltd., Global Vision Impex and Aimex General Trading Company.
The case relates to seizure of 532 Kg. of Heroin and 52 Kg. of mixed narcotics on June 29 this year at Attari ICP under provisions of Custom Act, 1962 and attendant sections of NDPS Act besides interception of two persons — Gurpinder Singh, an Amritsar based trader and Tariq Ahmed Lone from Handwara, Jammu & Kashmir.
"The involvement of an international drug racket based in Pakistan as well as in Afghanistan has come to light. This is a case of narco-terrorism, having national and international implications with evidence of generation of funds through the proceeds of sale of narcotics smuggled from across the international border," the NIA said in a statement.
Investigation has established that the above accused formed a terrorist gang to bring many consignments of narcotics to India, the agency said.
During the investigation searches were conducted at various places in Punjab and various incriminating documents including bank account details, electronic and digital devices, ammunitions and details of Hawala transactions were seized.
The investigation has been able to establish an international conspiracy in which nationals of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Indian nationals belonging to Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and Delhi has come to light so far. A vast network of Hawala and other informal channels has been used to smuggle narcotics into India through the legitimate trade route between India and Pakistan in the garb of import of rock salt, the agency added.