NIA attaches Amritsar properties in 500-kg heroin narco-terror case
Synopsis
The NIA has struck at the financial roots of a Pakistan-linked narco-terror network — attaching two Amritsar properties tied to a 500-kg heroin haul allegedly used to fund Lashkar-e-Taiba. With 26 arrests and a transnational trail running through Italy, Australia, and the UAE, the Salaya case is one of India's most complex narco-terror probes.
Key Takeaways
The NIA attached Plot Nos.
128 and 129 in Akash Vihar, Sultanwind, Amritsar , belonging to accused Anwar Masih , on 13 August 2025 .
The action is linked to the Salaya drug seizure case (RC-26/2020/NIA/DLI) involving 500 kg of heroin smuggled from Pakistan via a maritime route.
Proceeds from the narcotics trade were allegedly routed to finance Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror activities.
The transnational network spans Italy, Australia, UAE, Thailand, Iran, and Pakistan ; 26 accused have been arrested so far.
In a separate case, the NIA arrested an accused on 12 August 2025 over an IED attack in Bishnupur, Manipur that killed two minor children on 7 April 2025 .
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on 13 August 2025 attached two immovable properties in Amritsar, Punjab, belonging to accused Anwar Masih, in connection with a 500-kg heroin smuggling operation linked to a transnational narco-terror conspiracy. The action was taken under Section 25(1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967.
Properties Attached
The attached properties — Plot Nos. 128 and 129 in Phase-I of Akash Vihar, Sultanwind, Amritsar — are registered in Masih's name. The attachment proceedings were conducted in the presence of independent witnesses and with the assistance of revenue authorities. An Attachment Memorandum and a Panchanama were prepared as part of the formal process, and the attachment order was served, read out, and affixed at both properties.
The Salaya Drug Seizure Case
The case, registered as RC-26/2020/NIA/DLI and widely referred to as the Salaya drug seizure case, centres on the smuggling of 500 kg of heroin from Pakistan into India through a maritime route. According to the NIA, investigations have established Masih's involvement in a transnational network spanning Italy, Australia, the UAE, Thailand, Iran, and Pakistan. The network was allegedly engaged in narcotics smuggling and distribution, with proceeds reportedly routed to finance terrorist activities linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). So far, 26 accused persons have been arrested in connection with the conspiracy, and investigations remain ongoing.
Why This Matters
The attachment underscores the NIA's sustained effort to sever the financial arteries of narco-terror networks that straddle South Asia, the Gulf, and Europe. Notably, this is among the larger maritime drug hauls traced directly to LeT financing — a pattern that security agencies have flagged as a growing threat vector along India's western coastline. By targeting property rather than just individuals, the agency aims to disrupt the economic infrastructure sustaining the network.
Separate Manipur IED Case
In a distinct development, the NIA on 12 August 2025 arrested an accused in connection with an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack on a residential house in Bishnupur district, Manipur. The attack occurred on 7 April 2025 at Tronglaobi Awang Leikai in Moirang. According to Manipur Police, a five-year-old boy and his six-month-old sister were killed, and their mother sustained serious injuries when suspected Kuki militants allegedly hurled a powerful bomb at the family's residence while they were asleep. The NIA has taken up the case as part of its broader counter-insurgency mandate in the Northeast.
What Happens Next
The NIA has indicated that investigations in the Salaya heroin case are continuing, with further action against other accused not ruled out. The Manipur IED case is also at an active investigation stage following the fresh arrest. Both developments signal an intensified operational tempo by the agency across multiple theatres of internal security.
Point of View
Using UAPA's preventive attachment powers. What mainstream coverage often misses is the LeT financing angle: this is not routine drug trafficking but a documented attempt to weaponise narcotics revenue for cross-border terror. The network's geographic spread — from Pakistan to Italy and Australia — also points to a diaspora facilitation layer that Indian agencies have struggled to prosecute. With 26 arrests and investigations still open, the question is whether the financial chain has been broken or merely pruned.
NationPress
14 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Salaya drug seizure case?
The Salaya drug seizure case (RC-26/2020/NIA/DLI) involves the smuggling of 500 kg of heroin from Pakistan into India through a maritime route. The NIA has linked the proceeds of this narcotics trade to financing terrorist activities connected to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
Why did the NIA attach properties in Amritsar?
The NIA attached two properties in Akash Vihar, Sultanwind, Amritsar, belonging to accused Anwar Masih under Section 25(1) of the UAPA, 1967, after establishing that they were acquired from proceeds linked to terrorism. The attachment aims to disrupt the financial infrastructure of the narco-terror network.
How many people have been arrested in the 500-kg heroin case?
As of 13 August 2025, 26 accused persons have been arrested in connection with the transnational narco-terror conspiracy. Investigations are still ongoing, and further action has not been ruled out.
Which countries are involved in the narco-terror network?
According to the NIA, the transnational network linked to the Salaya case operates across Italy, Australia, the UAE, Thailand, Iran, and Pakistan. The network allegedly smuggled and distributed narcotics and funnelled proceeds to fund Lashkar-e-Taiba.
What happened in the separate Manipur IED attack case?
On 7 April 2025, suspected Kuki militants allegedly hurled a bomb at a residential house in Tronglaobi Awang Leikai, Bishnupur district, Manipur, killing a five-year-old boy and his six-month-old sister and seriously injuring their mother. The NIA arrested an accused in this case on 12 August 2025.
