NIA arrests wanted narco-terrorist after extradition from Portugal

A native of Punjab's Amritsar, Shera had allegedly masterminded a conspiracy to smuggle narcotics from Pakistan into the border state, the probe agency said.

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday arrested wanted narco-terrorist Iqbal Singh alias Shera after successfully securing his extradition from Portugal.

He was taken into custody by an NIA team at the Delhi airport immediately after he arrived from Portugal, to where he had absconded in 2020. His successful extradition and arrest come as a major shot in the arm for the NIA’s fight against Pakistan-backed narco and cross-border terrorism, officials said.

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During the investigation, the NIA found Shera to be a key conspirator and handler of an India-based narco-terror module engaged in smuggling heroin from Pakistan.

A native of Punjab’s Amritsar, Shera had allegedly masterminded a conspiracy to smuggle narcotics from Pakistan into the border state, the probe agency said.

According to the NIA, he coordinated and supervised the trafficking and distribution of the smuggled drugs, and channelised the proceeds through hawala networks to Pakistan- and Kashmir-based operatives of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) terrorist outfit to facilitate terror activities.

The arrested fugitive had a non-bailable warrant of arrest (NBW) against him in the case since October 2020. An Interpol notice had also been in place for his arrest since June 2021.

To further the anti-India narco terror conspiracy, Shera had formed a terror gang and operated a Punjab-based network involved in trafficking large quantities of heroin, collecting sale proceeds, and transferring funds to handlers and terror operatives, the NIA said in a statement.

The agency said Shera maintained close links with Pakistan-based HM operatives.

The case was originally registered by the Punjab Police following the arrest of an HM overground worker, Hilal Ahmed Shergojri. Police had also recovered Rs 29 lakh in alleged drug proceeds from Shergojri – a close aide of deceased terrorist commander Riyaz Ahmed Naikoo.

Further investigation had led to the recovery of another Rs 32 lakh as narco terror proceeds from various Punjab-based members of the terror gang.

The NIA, after taking over the case, had launched massive efforts to dismantle the module and secure Shera’s extradition.