NIA attaches two properties of Delhi-based smuggler in 102 kg Punjab heroin seizure case

New Delhi [India ]: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has attached two properties of a Delhi-based notorious smuggler in a case related to the seizure of over 102 kg of heroin smuggled from Afghanistan via the Attari border in Punjab’ Amritsar.

The immovable properties belong to Razi Haider Zaidi, 41, a resident of Okhla Vihar, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi. These properties, that were attached on Tuesday, include a residential plot measuring 121.35 square metres in Muzaffarnagar, U.P, which the accused Razi had purchased in his own name for Rs 4,00,000.

The other property is a residential two-storied building at Okhla Vihar, Jamia Nagar, Delhi, purchased for Rs 24,50,000 in the name of the accused’s wife.

The properties were attached under section 68(F) of the Narcotics Drug and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

As per the NIA, both properties were acquired by Razi from the sale proceeds of heroin.
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 Attari on April 22 last year, were found concealed in a consignment of liquorice roots (mulethi).

NIA investigations revealed that the accused Razi was the receiver of this consignment of liquorice roots (mulethi) in which heroin was concealed.

As per NIA investigations, on the directions of Dubai-based absconding co-accused Shahid Ahmed, around 103 kg heroin concealed in the consignment of liquorice roots 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.

Further investigations 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.

Further, Razi had also collected cash around Rs 2.5 crores from various states of India, as sale proceeds of heroin, said the NIA, adding “from this, he had taken his share and had channelized some of the drug proceeds into the bank account of Shahid Ahmed.”

“Razi handed over the rest as cash to Shahid’s brother Azeem Ahmed and other associates of Shahid Ahmed,” the NIA further said.

Prior to the consignment of heroin recovered in the instant case, in February 2022, the NIA said, Razi along with accused Shahid Ahmed and accused Nazir Ahmad Qani also smuggled heroin concealed in liquorice roots imported from Afghanistan.

“Approximately 50 kg heroin was recovered from Razi by the Narcotics Control Bureau, New Delhi in a case registered against him and his associates in which a Charge sheet has already been filed by the NCB,” said the NIA.

It has come on record that the accused Razi is a notorious drug smuggler and supplier and in February 2022, said the NIA.

“Razi had imported 640 cans of chemicals through Iran for processing heroin at his rented godown in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh with the assistance of Afghan nationals sent by the Afghan-based accused Shahid Ahmed. The said narcotics were later seized by NCB, New Delhi in a joint operation with ATS, Gujarat,” said the agency.

Investigations have also unearthed that in November 2021, on the instructions of accused Shahid Ahmed, Razi and two of his associates namely Avtar Singh and Mohd Imran had gone to Ahmedabad twice for collection of narcotic drugs, which they brought to Delhi and Razi supplied them to other associates of accused Shahid Ahmed.

Apart from these instances of drugs smuggling in which accused Razi was arrested by different law enforcement agencies, the NIA said, the accused had successfully smuggled heroin and collected money derived from its sales from various places of Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat.

Initially, the anti-terror agency said, the case was investigated by Indian Customs, Amritsar and later, under directions of the Ministry of Home Affairs, NIA took over the investigations.