Punjab Newsline | New Delhi
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said that alleged narco kingpin Navpreet Singh has been brought back to India from Turkiye and taken into custody in connection with cases related to drug trafficking and other alleged offences.
According to Shah, Singh had allegedly obtained Turkish citizenship using a fake identity and was operating under the name Nawab Virk. Indian agencies have accused him of facilitating the smuggling of heroin and methamphetamine from Afghanistan into India.
Singh has previously been linked by investigating agencies to an alleged international drug trafficking network spanning India, Afghanistan and Turkiye. He has been described as the alleged Turkiye-based operator of the network, while his cousin Prabhdeep Singh was accused of handling its activities in India.
The investigation into the alleged network began in 2021 following the arrest of Rizwan Kashmiri in South Delhi. Investigators subsequently traced alleged links to Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and other regions.
During the probe, authorities recovered large quantities of heroin in Faridabad, including around 166 kg from one vehicle and approximately 115 kg from another, according to investigation details.
Investigators also examined the alleged involvement of individuals based in Afghanistan and the routes used to transport narcotics into India. Agencies are expected to question Navpreet Singh about his alleged associates, drug supply routes, overseas links and the use of a purported false identity in Turkiye.
Shah said the government is committed to eliminating every narco-cartel by December 2029. The allegations against Singh and the roles of other individuals will be established through the ongoing investigation and judicial proceedings.
