Four Iraqi nationals arrested for contraband smuggling

Gurugram, July 29 (IANS) Four Iraqi nationals have been arrested here for their alleged involvement in the smuggling of contraband and life-saving injections, police said.

Besides, over Rs 74 lakh in cash was also recovered during raids at two upscale localities in the city.

The accused, identified as Akram Faiz (21), Aws Raad Nealmah Al Hendi (31), were arrested from Sector 57, while Mohaned (26) and Othmana (27) are arrested from Sector 47.

An official said on Tuesday that all four accused are residents of Bagdad and came here on a Study Visa. They were involved in supplying drugs to their home country since 2016.

“It has been revealed during the investigation that the study Visa expired in 2018. Since then, two of them — Faiz and Al Hendi have managed to obtain refugee status here in India and living here. The other two are living here illegally after their Visa expired,” said Amandeep Singh Chauhan, drug controller of Gurugram.

“Based on local intelligence input, we have information about some Iraqi nationals are involved in international drug curtail nexus,” Chauhan said.

“During the raid at Sector 57, we have seized Rs 35.50 lakh cash, some life-saving injections and a large number of drugs containing in five packets. While Rs 39.05 lakh cash, drugs containing in 8 packets and some life-saving injections from their possessions,” Chauhan said.

The accused revealed that they are using life-saving injections as cover to smuggle contraband in Iraq. They had come here to study Bachelor of Pharmacy course.

Two separate FIRs under relevant sections of the NDPS act and IPC have been registered and further investigation is on, Preet Pal Singh Sangwan, ACP crime, and chief PRO of Gurugram police said.

–IANS

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