The Centre has roped in the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to probe the alleged involvement of an international drug cartel following the seizure of 301 kg of narcotics, five AK-47s and 1,000 rounds of ammunition by the Indian Coast Guards (ICGs) from a boat in the Arabian Sea in March this year. The `3,000-cr smuggling racket was initially investigated by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) but with the probe pointing to the involvement of an international drug syndicate with alleged links to Pakistan, it was decided to transfer the investigation to the NIA, officials said.Six Sri Lankan nationals were arrested after a boat was intercepted with heroin and a huge cache of arms and ammunition in the Indian waters on March 25 this year. The consignment was believed to have originated from Chabahar Port, Iran, and headed to Maldives and Sri Lanka. Intelligence inputs and the investigations so far indicate that a Pakistan-based drug trafficking network is involved in the seizures, the officials added. A senior government official said, “Investigations by the federal agency will also look into allegations of torture against foreign nationals.” One of the arrested Sri Lankan nationals, LY Nandana, has alleged that while on board the fishing vessel, Ravihansi, they were tortured by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) to make confessions regarding their involvement in the drug cartel. A Kerala court has sought a response from ICG on the allegations levelled by the Sri Lankan nationals.According to NIA, the FIR was first registered under sections of Indian Penal Code and Arms Act. The agency said they may invoke sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention (UAPA) Act against the suspects. “The links of the narcotics syndicate with terrorism, radicalisation and criminal activities cannot be ruled out and is under investigations,” an official said.The agency has also written to their counterparts in Sri Lanka seeking their cooperation in identifying the date of departure from Sri Lanka and the actual owner of the boat ‘Ravihanshi’. The narcotics, according to NCB, were found concealed inside the water tank of the vessel with an image of a flying horse, a common branding practice of drug trafficking syndicates.
Source: Economic Times
