NIA recovers Rs 91 lakh proceeds of drug sales in Hindwara narco-terror case

Mukesh Ranjan
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, March 12

The anti-terror federal probe agency National Investigation Agency said on Friday it has recovered proceeds of drug sales to the tune of Rs. 91 lakh in cash in Handwara Narco-Terrorism case.

According to officials in the NIA the case was initially registered at Hindwara police station of Kupwara district of Jammu & Kashmir on June 11, 2020, as during checking of vehicles at Kairo Bridge in the area, accused Abdul Momin Peer’s Hyundai Creata vehicle was intercepted by security forces and during search Rs. 20 lakh along with 2 kg of heroin was recovered.

Later NIA took up the case by re-registering an FIR on June 23, 2020, and began investigation, they said.

“NIA had arrested five accused persons from Srinagar and Jammu on March 1, 2021, and had taken them on remand for 15 days. Based upon examination and disclosure of arrested accused persons, the agency sleuths conducted searches and recovered proceeds of narcotics smuggling to the tune of 91 Lakhs,” said a senior official, while adding that the amount was found concealed in a field in village Gurwal of Samba district of the Union Territory.

Investigation revealed that arrested accused Romesh Kumar had received the cash as part of the proceeds of drug sales from narco-smugglers based in Kashmir valley for himself as well as for further channelisation to different terrorist entities, the officials said, while noting that further investigation in the case continued.