NIA Arrests Two Delhi-Based Accused in Connection With Mundra Port Drug Seizure

Representational image.

(Photo: Aroop Mishra/The Quint)

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday, 25 August, arrested two Delhi-based accused, Harpreet Singh Talwar and Prince Sharma, in connection with a case linked to the seizure of 2,988 kg heroin from Gujarat's Mundra Port in September last year.

The heroin was being smuggled through import consignments from Afghanistan using a maritime route.

On Wednesday, the agency conducted raids at several locations in Delhi, Kolkata, Punjab, and Gujarat in connection with the case, The Print reported. The report added that a private club in Delhi's Hotel Samrat was also raided, whose owner was questioned on Wednesday.

In September last year, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized a huge consignment of close to 3,000 kg of heroin, worth over Rs 21,000 crore, from Gujarat's Mundra port.

The consignment, the NIA said, was being imported by "M/s Aashi Trading Company" and exported by M/s Hasan Hussain Ltd. Kandahar, Afghanistan, through the Bandar Abbas Port of Iran.

The heroin was found concealed in an import consignment of 'Semi-processed Talc stones' originating from Afghanistan.

During the 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 offences registered by the DRI Delhi zonal unit wherein 16.105 kg of heroin was seized from a warehouse in Delhi.

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

(This article will be updated.)