An alleged narco-terror module operative, Iqbal Singh alias Shera, has been extradited from Portugal and taken into custody by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) upon arrival in India, according to official sources. The accused, who had been absconding since 2020, is described by investigators as a key conspirator in a cross-border drug trafficking and terror financing network.
The NIA said Shera was arrested at Delhi airport immediately after his deportation from Portugal, where he had been residing since fleeing India. The agency stated that his extradition marks a significant breakthrough in its ongoing efforts to dismantle what it describes as Pakistan-linked narco-terror networks operating in India.
According to the investigation agency, Shera is accused of masterminding the smuggling of heroin from Pakistan into Punjab and managing its distribution within India. Authorities allege that the proceeds from drug sales were routed through hawala channels and used to fund terror activities linked to operatives based in Pakistan and Jammu and Kashmir.
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Officials further claimed that Shera maintained links with operatives of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terror outfit and played a role in coordinating logistics for the trafficking network. The NIA also stated that he was responsible for overseeing financial flows generated through narcotics trade and channelising funds to support extremist activities.
The accused had been declared a fugitive following the issuance of a non-bailable warrant in October 2020, and an Interpol Red Notice was subsequently issued in June 2021. His arrest follows years of investigation that originated with a Punjab Police case involving the arrest of an overground worker linked to terror financing and drug proceeds.
Authorities say the extradition is expected to strengthen ongoing probes into narco-terror networks operating across northern India. Further interrogation of the accused is likely to focus on identifying additional operatives, financial channels, and cross-border links involved in the alleged conspiracy.
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