On Friday, a special court in the city of Bhuj, Gujarat, sentenced six Pakistanis to 20 years in prison on charges of smuggling heroin worth an estimated $2,000. $384 crore in India.
The accused were arrested from a Pakistani fishing boat off the coast of Gujarat in December 2021 in a joint operation conducted by the Indian Coast Guard and Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad.
Buddha, of the Special Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law Tribunal, convicted the six men and said they were involved in a serious crime of targeting India’s youth and pushing them into drug addiction.
The accused have been identified as Muhammad Wagher (31), Dadhansh Wagher (24), Sagar Wagher (23), Ismail Barala (75), Muhammad Kungra (24) and Ashfaq Wagher (26), all residents of Karachi.
The ruling stated that drug addiction is a national problem and can directly affect the country’s internal security.
In addition to sentencing the accused to 20 years in prison, the court also imposed a fine of 100,000 pounds $2 lakh on each of them.
According to the prosecution, the Pakistani fishing boat “Al-Husseini” was seized with a crew of six on board and carrying 77 kg of heroin. $384 crore was intercepted in Indian waters off the coast of Gujarat in December 2021.
A case has been registered against the accused at ATS police station under the NDPS Act.
The prosecution presented 203 documentary evidence and questioned 13 witnesses during the trial.
