Who is the 'mastermind' named in the NIA chargesheet for cross-border arms and narcotics racket involving Pakistan?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- The NIA has charged Vishal Pachar as the mastermind behind a trafficking network.
- Connections with Pakistan have been established through the investigation.
- The operation involved the distribution of arms and narcotics across northern states.
- High-powered drones were reportedly used for smuggling activities.
- The NIA's investigation is ongoing, aiming to dismantle the trafficking network.
New Delhi, Nov 14 (NationPress) On Friday, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) charged the mastermind behind an inter-state arms and narcotics trafficking operation associated with operators from Pakistan.
The chargesheet was submitted to the NIA Special Court in Jaipur, Rajasthan, identifying Vishal Pachar as the key figure and accusing him under several sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Arms Act, Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
According to the NIA, the accused was supposedly engaged in the procurement, transportation, and distribution of illegal arms, ammunition, and narcotics as part of a trafficking network that spans the northern states of Rajasthan, Haryana, and Punjab.
“The investigation, referenced as RC-01/2025/NIA/JPR, revealed that associates in Pakistan aided the primary accused by ensuring the supply of arms, ammunition, and heroin,” stated the NIA in its press release.
The NIA pointed out that these shipments were dropped in border regions and subsequently collected by gang members for distribution.
“These shipments were delivered using high-powered drones and were later gathered by gang members on the Indian side for further dissemination,” the NIA noted.
Additionally, the agency reported that “the gang members would also acquire illegal foreign weapons to protect themselves from police and other government authorities.”
The accused utilized encrypted communication methods and cross-border couriers to smuggle these arms and narcotics into India across various states, as further investigations by the NIA revealed.
“A well-established connection between illegal arms suppliers and drug traffickers was discovered, targeting youth by distributing psychotropic substances to create drug dependency, aiming to exploit them and instigate dissatisfaction towards the government,” the agency elaborated.
The NIA added that their “investigation remains ongoing to dismantle the broader network involved in trafficking and to identify additional suspects in this case.”