NIA recovers Rs 91 lakh drug money in narco-terror case

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 12

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) today said it had recovered proceeds of drug sales to the tune of Rs 91 lakh in Handwara narco-terrorism case.

According to officials of the NIA, the case was initially registered at the Hindwara police station in 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 Creta vehicle was intercepted by security forces and during search Rs 20 lakh along with 2 kg of heroin was recovered.

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

Concealed in field in Samba village

The NIA had arrested five accused from Srinagar and Jammu on March 1, 2021, and 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 Rs91 lakh. The amount was found concealed in a field at Gurwal village of Samba district. —A senior NIA official

“The NIA had arrested five accused from Srinagar and Jammu on March 1, 2021, and 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 Rs 91 lakh,” said a senior official, while adding that the amount was found concealed in a field at Gurwal village 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 the Kashmir Valley for self as well as for further channelisation to different terrorist entities, the officials said, while noting that further investigation in the case was continuing.