War on Drugs | SIA files chargesheet against 2 narco-terror financers
Srinagar, Mar 18: The State Investigating Agency (SIA) Monday filed a chargesheet against two accused who along with their other associates were involved in operating a narco terror financing module in Jammu and Kashmir.
The chargesheet has been filed against Zaheed Ahmad Khoja and Zameer Ahmad Lone under various provisions of the NDPS Act and UA(P) Act in Special Designated UAPA Court under the NIA Act.
Khoja was arrested in September last year when he was intercepted while transporting a consignment of heroin weighing 3.56 kg valued at over Rs 25 crore while Lone is an active terrorist of LeT, originally a resident of Kashmir and now based in Pakistan and PoK, chargesheeted as an absconding accused.
Khoja, Lone, and others in connivance with terrorists of proscribed terrorist organisations hatched a criminal conspiracy of raising funds by illegally smuggling and trafficking narcotics and contraband from across the border and the narco proceeds financially support terrorist acts and funds the terror ecosystem.
In pursuance of the larger criminal conspiracy, the duo and their other associates in close coordination through conversations over encrypted messaging applications planned to systematically spread communal disharmony through terror acts targeted at minority communities.
The terror funds were used for personal enrichment and for furtherance of terrorist acts including setting ablaze government buildings, residential houses of minority communities, Police personnel, and the office of a political party as directed by various terrorist organizations active in Jammu and Kashmir.
The SIA has been successful in busting the narco terror financing module where linkages have been found with multiple terror organisations.
The terrorist outfits active in J&K are deeply involved in raising terror funds through the sale of illegally trafficked narcotics from across the borders to sustain their terror operations and activities.
Further investigation against other associates of the chargesheeted accused persons, in this case, would continue.
