The Customs Department had recovered 532 kg of heroin and another 52 kg of mixed narcotic substance from a consignment of rock salt at Attari ICP on June 29.Suspecting it to be a case of “narco terrorism” with national and international implications, the Union government handed over the case of the recovery of 532 kg of heroin at the Integrated Check Post, Attari, last month to the National Investigation Agency.
The Ministry of Home Affairs handed over the case to NIA on Tuesday. One of the key links in the case, accused Gurpinder Singh who was an Amritsar-based importer, died in judicial custody on Sunday. The file was moved to MHA for an NIA investigation nod last week, a government functionary said.
The Customs Department had recovered 532 kg of heroin and another 52 kg of mixed narcotic substance from a consignment of rock salt at Attari ICP on June 29. The consignment had reached Attari ICP on June 26 and the recovery was made on June 29 during an inspection.
Gurpinder and another accused, Tarik Lone from Jammu and Kashmir who traded in rock salt, were sent to police custody after a daylong grilling by the Customs. Subsequently, Amritsar (Rural) police brought the duo on production warrant and registered a case against 20 people including three Pakistanis.
Closing down of the barter trade at Poonch-Chakkan da Bagh and Uri-Salamabad Line of Control (LoC) was believed to be one of the reasons which pushed the smugglers to take the Attari ICP route. Barter trade at was suspended by the Centre on April 19. At the time, Centre had pointed out that it had “been receiving reports that these routes are being misused by Pakistan-based elements for funneling illegal weapons, narcotics and fake currency etc”.
While suspending the trade, the Centre had noted that “unscrupulous and anti-national elements are using the route as a conduit for Hawala money, drugs and weapons, under the garb of this trade.
