Gujarat ATS Arrests Smuggling Suspect

The Gujarat ATS has arrested a man wanted in Punjab for his alleged involvement in a major cross-border smuggling operation dealing with heroin, grenades, and pistols.

The Gujarat Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) nabbed a man wanted in a case related to cross-border smuggling of heroin as well as grenades and pistols in Punjab, officials said on Thursday. The ATS identified him as Rehmat Ali Sheikh, a resident of Amritsar in the northern state.

He was wanted in a case related to transportation of consignments of heroin, hand grenades, and pistols from the Punjab-Pakistan border and delivering them to other individuals in that state in January this year, the ATS said in a release.

A case was registered against him at Rajasansi police station at Amritsar district in on January 29 under sections 21 and 25 of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, as well as sections 3, 4, and 5 of Explosive Substances Act, it said.

Two accused were arrested in the case, and 42.9 kilograms of heroin, four hand grenades, one Star-mark pistol, and 46 live cartridges were seized, the release said.

However, Sheikh had absconded, going to Nepal first and then to Bihar, before reaching Gujarat where he started working at an embroidery factory, it said.

Arrest and Interrogation

"ATS sleuths apprehended him from an embroidery factory in Rakhial in Ahmedabad. During the primary interrogation, it was revealed that the accused is part of a major narcotics as well as grenade-pistol smuggling network," it said.

The Gujarat ATS has shared information regarding his detention with Punjab police and further legal proceedings have been initiated for his handover, the release said.