19 Foreign Nationals Sentenced to 20 Years in 3 Gujarat Heroin Smuggling Cases
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Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
A special NDPS court in Bhuj has sentenced 19 foreign nationals: 18 Pakistani nationals and one Afghan national, to 20 years' rigorous imprisonment in three separate cases involving attempts to smuggle heroin worth ₹575 crore into India through Gujarat's maritime border.
Each convict has also been fined ₹2 lakh.
The cases were tried before the court of Third Additional Sessions Judge and Special NDPS Court Judge V A Buddh in Bhuj, Kutch.
Case 1: ₹175 crore heroin seized in January 2020
Convicts (4 Pakistani nationals):
- Ismail Mohammad Jam (50)
- Anish Isha Bhatti (30)
- Abubakar Hasam Kungra (70)
- Ashraf Usman Bhatti (42)
According to the Gujarat ATS, intelligence was received that a Pakistani boat carrying heroin from Kapar Creek was heading towards Jakhau for delivery.
A joint operation involving the Gujarat ATS, Indian Coast Guard, Jakhau authorities and Bhuj SOG intercepted the suspicious boat on January 6, 2020.
Five persons were found aboard the vessel. During the search, officials recovered 35.055 kg of heroin valued at ₹175 crore. An FIR was registered by ATS Police Inspector I.R. Jadeja, while the charge sheet was later filed by ATS Police Inspector D.B. Basiya.
Case 2: ₹150 crore heroin seized in April 2021
Convicts (8 Pakistani nationals):
- Murtaza Yamin Sindhi (35)
- Yamin Umar Sindhi (65)
- Mustafa Yamin Sindhi (33)
- Nasrullah Yamin Sindhi (28)
- Hussain Ibrahim Sindhi (62)
- Salemmamad Abdullah Sindhi (70)
- Mohammad Yasin Mohammad Usar Mulla (39)
- Rafiq Ahmad Usman Ali Mulla (62)
ATS received intelligence that a Pakistani boat departing from Haidari Port was transporting heroin towards the Gujarat coast.
On April 15, 2021, the joint ATS-Coast Guard operation intercepted the vessel near Jakhau and detained eight Pakistani nationals.
Officials recovered 30 kg of heroin worth ₹150 crore. The case was registered by ATS Police Inspector V.B. Patel, while the investigation and charge sheet were completed by ATS Police Inspector Y.M. Gohil.
Case 3: ₹250 crore heroin seized in October 2022
Convicts:
Pakistani nationals (6):
- Ali Mohammad Bachal Malla (40)
- Mumtaz Haroon Malla (30)
- Sher Mohammad Bashriya Bad (40)
- Motiya Idris Malla (50)
- Ibrahim Yusuf Sameja (68)
- Jahid Abdullah Malla (22)
Afghan national (1):
- Hekmatullah Nurullah
In another ATS operation based on intelligence inputs, officials intercepted a boat that had departed from Haidari Port and was attempting to deliver narcotics near Jakhau.
The vessel was intercepted on October 8, 2022, leading to the seizure of 50 kg of heroin valued at ₹250 crore.
The FIR was registered by ATS Police Inspector V.N. Vaghela, while the charge sheet was filed by ATS Police Inspector C.H. Panara.
Court's observations
While convicting all 19 accused, the court observed that the offences were not ordinary crimes but part of a well-planned conspiracy aimed at pushing Indian youth into drug addiction and weakening the nation's social and security framework.
The court held that:
- Large-scale narcotics trafficking poses a threat not only to individuals but also to national security.
- Drug abuse has the potential to become a national crisis affecting the country's internal security.
- The accused had conspired to smuggle large quantities of narcotics into India, targeting Indian society.
Sentence awarded
The court convicted all 19 accused under Section 8(c) of the NDPS Act – 20 years' rigorous imprisonment and a ₹2 lakh fine on each accused, Section 23(c) of the NDPS Act – 20 years' rigorous imprisonment and a ₹2 lakh fine on each accused.
The court further ordered that the sentences under both sections shall run separately, as directed in the judgment.
