NIA attaches properties of Delhi smuggler in heroin seizure case

New Delhi, July 19

The anti-terror federal probe agency, NIA, today said it has attached two properties of a Delhi-based ‘notorious’ smuggler in connection with a case related to the seizure of over 102 kg of heroin smuggled from Afghanistan via the Attari border in Amritsar.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) said the attached immovable properties are owned by Razi Haider Zaidi (41), a resident of Okhla Vihar in Jamia Nagar.

“These attached properties include a residential plot of 121.35 sq m in UP’s Muzaffarnagar. The other is a residential two-storied building at Okhla Vihar in the name of the accused’s wife,” the NIA said.

The properties were attached under Section 68(F) of the Narcotics Drug and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Both the attached properties were acquired by Razi from the sale proceeds of heroin, it alleged.

The drug consignment of a total of 102.784 kg of heroin was seized by the Indian Customs Department on April 24-26 last year. The narcotics, which had reached Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari on April 22, 2022, were found concealed in a consignment of liquorice roots (mulethi).

The investigations conducted by the NIA revealed that the accused, Razi, was the receiver of this consignment in which heroin was concealed, officials said.

“The investigations further revealed that on the directions of Dubai-based absconding co-accused Shahid Ahmed, around 103-kg heroin concealed in the consignment had been sent by Afghan-based heroin smuggler Nazir Ahmed Qani, a resident of Mazar-e-Sharif in Afghanistan, and it was supposed to be delivered to accused Razi who had handed over Rs 11 lakh in cash to another accused as advance payment of the said consignment,” the NIA said.

Investigations also revealed that Shahid Ahmed, alias Qazi Abdul Wadood, had directed Razi to collect and deliver heroin consignments from various places in India from time to time who had delivered them to the different associates of Shahid Ahmed, it said.

Further, Razi had also collected cash around Rs 2.5 crore from various states, as sale proceeds of heroin, said the NIA, adding “from this, he had taken his share and had channelised some of the proceeds into the bank account of Shahid Ahmed”. The NIA said, “Razi handed over the rest as cash to Shahid’s brother Azeem Ahmed and other aides of Shahid Ahmed.” — TNS

102-kg drug was found at Attari

• The consignment of 102.784-kg heroin was seized by the Indian Customs Department on April 24-26 last year
• The narcotics, which reached Integrated Check Post at Attari on April 22, was found in consignment of mulethi
• The investigations conducted by NIA revealed that accused Razi Haider Zaidi was the receiver of this consignment