On Mar 6, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) arrested three family members involved in a heroin trafficking racket in Jamnagar.

The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) seized ₹350 cr worth of drugs from a fishing boat off the coast of Veraval, Gujarat on Feb 20.

ATS deputy superintendent of police (DySP) SL Chaudhary and team interrogated the boat’s captain, Dharmendra Goud, and traced the kingpin, Isa Hussain Rao. 

It was revealed that the cartel was a family business involving Rao and his family members, including his wife Tahira, son Arbaaz, daughter Masooma, and Masooma’s fiance Rizwan Node. They were all involved in the trafficking of 8 kg of heroin worth ₹26.84 lakh to Delhi.

The ATS has also registered a separate case against Tahira, Arbaaz, and another associate. Six other people have been declared wanted in the case.

Currently, Rao is on the run and believed to be residing in an African country.

Modus Operandi

The drugs were being brought in from Pakistan by boat and landed in Veraval. From there, the drugs would be transported to other states by Isa’s associates.

The drugs originated from Pakistan, where in September 2023, a Pakistani national named Murtuza sent 8 kg of drugs from a boat named Hem Mallika-1 through captain Dharmesh Goud, as per the complaint filed by ATS.

On Oct 10, 2023, Goud handed over the consignment to one of the associates of Rao.

The associate dropped the consignment at a particular place in a tunnel between Abu Road and Rajasthan’s Beawar.

Rao’s daughter Masooma and her fiance Rizwan then collected the consignment from there.

In the van of another individual named Asid Sama, the heroin was reportedly sent to Delhi’s Tilak Nagar and delivered to a Nigerian or South African national.

ATS has filed a case against individuals involved in the network. The ATS arrested Tahira and Arbaaz (residents of Jodiya, Jamnagar) and Rizwan Node (residents of Bodeshwar, Jamnagar).

Others who are absconding have been declared wanted, including the van driver Asif Sama, Masooma, Murtuza, and the foreign national in Delhi who bought heroin.

According to ATS records, Rao has been running a drug trafficking network from Gujarat for three years. 

As per the police sources, his family has been involved in drug trafficking for the past eight years.

Rao is wanted in the ATS file and has been on the run since 2021 when a drug cartel was busted in Dwarka.

At that time, Rao and his brother were embroiled in procuring 306 kg of heroin. Out of this, 161 kg were already sold by Rao, and 145 kg were caught and seized by the authorities.

Rao escaped from the ATS and fled to Punjab. While the ATS was searching, Rao travelled to Africa with a fake passport and resumed active drug trafficking, involving the family again.

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