J&K: NIA files chargesheet against 6 accused of cross-border smuggling of heroine

Saleem Andrabi and Muneer Ahmad Banday are stated to be absconding, while the other four have been arrested. All the accused hailed from different areas of Handwara.

Narrating the sequence of events leading to the apprehension of the accused, the NIA said that on June 11 this year, a police naka party during routine checking of vehicles intercepted a Creta belonging to Abdul Momin Peer at Kairo Bridge, Handwara. During search, cash worth Rs 20.01 lakh and two kg heroin were seized and Abdul Momim Peer arrested.

Later, on his disclosure, Syed Iftikhar Andrabi, 50, and Islam-Ul-Haq Peer, 20, were arrested. The NIA re-registered the case and took up investigations on June 23.

Accused Afaq Ahmad Wani, who had been on the run, was arrested by NIA on the basis of technical analysis on July 16.

Investigation revealed that accused were involved in cross-border smuggling and supply of narcotic drug Heroin in Jammu and Kashmir, and other parts of the country after procuring the same from their associates based in Pakistan, the charge-sheet said. The accused Iftikhar Andrabi and Abdul Momin Peer had visited Pakistan several times during 2016-17 to meet the operatives of terrorist organizations, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), it said, adding the the amount generated from the sale of Heroin was pumped by the accused to further the terrorist activities of Lashkar-E-Taiba (LeT).

Further investigation in the case were in progress, it added.