13 Pakistani nationals charge-sheeted in arms, drugs smuggling case in Gujarat

NEW DELHI — The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday charge-sheeted 13 Pakistani nationals in a 2022 case related to cross-border smuggling of weapons and drugs via Gujarat to fund terrorist activities in India.

Ten of the 13 charge-sheeted accused were arrested in December last year with a huge consignment of drugs and arms, hidden in gas cylinders, from a Pakistani fishing boat, the federal agency said.

It said the seizure included 40 kg of heroin, six foreign-made pistols, six magazines and 120 cartridges, along with documents such as Pakistani identity cards, mobile phones and Pakistani currency.

The charge-sheet was filed in an NIA special court in Ahmedabad.

The 10 arrested accused are Kadarbaksh Umetan Baloch, Amanullah Musa Baloch, Ismail Sabzal Baloch, Allahbaksh Hatar Baloch, Goharbaksh Dilmurad Baloch, Ammal Phullan Baloch, Gul Mohammad Hatar Baloch, Andam Ali Boher Baloch, Abdulgani Jungiyan Baloch and Abdulhakim Dilmurad Baloch, the NIA said.

The remaining three Pakistani accused charge-sheeted in the case — Hazi Salim, Akbar and Karim Baksh — are absconding.

According to the NIA’s investigation, the consignment of imported sophisticated weapons was being smuggled into India by the accused for delivery to India-based absconding accused Harun.

“Harun had hatched the conspiracy to illegally smuggle the consignment of weapons and contraband from Pakistan to India to provide funds to terrorist outfits and gangs operating in Punjab and north India,” the agency said.

It said the conspiracy was exposed after Gujarat’s Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) received credible inputs that one Pakistan-based drug smuggler, Salim, was trying to smuggle huge consignments of contraband drugs and illegal weapons from Pakistan through Okha.

The ATS was tipped off that the consignment would be reaching the Indian waters on December 27 or 28 near Okha jetty through a fishing boat named “Al-Soheli”, the NIA said, adding the Okha Coast Guard was informed by the ATS and, in a joint operation, the two agencies seized the boat.

Considering the national security ramifications and the international linkages of the case, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs transferred the case to NIA on March 6.

The NIA registered the case under various sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, Arms Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. This was the first case registered after the establishment of Ahmedabad branch office of the NIA and further investigation was on, the agency said.