Hajji Salim: According to officials across various Indian agencies, Karachi based gangster Hajji Salim is working to revive the insurgent group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in India and Sri Lanka by means of large-scale smuggling of drugs and arms. The gangster has close working links with Dawood Ibrahim and is considered mastermind of multi-billion dollars drugs network of the Indian Ocean. Various Indian Intelligence agencies have been actively working to dismantle Salim’s network. An officer who requested anonymity said, “Even though D-Company’s network was eliminated by Indian agencies in the late 90s, it is possible his old contacts may be working with Salim’s syndicate as the drug trade via maritime and land route has exploded after Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021. Salim has been seen at Dawood’s residence in Karachi and is protected by armed guards round the clock.”
Arrests made in connection to Salim’s network
In recent times, The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), the Directorate of Revenue and Intelligence (DRI) and National Investigation agency have made significant strides in eliminating supply of drugs of weapons coming into the country. Last month, the NCB and Indian Navy seized a shipment of 2,500 kg high purity methamphetamine worth ₹12,000 crore after intercepting a mother ship in the waters of Indian Ocean. In a similar incident last week, NIA filed a charge sheet against 13 people in a probe related to revival of LTTE in India and it was revealed that Sri Lankan drug mafia was sourcing their drugs from Salim. NIA revealed in a statement, “The accused used various foreign WhatsApp numbers to carry out the clandestine trade.” Salim’s name also came up after 10 Pakistanis were arrested by Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad(ATS) following a seizure of 40kg heroin and pistols in a boat called Al-Soheli.
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Death crescent and Maritime security in Indian Waters
The Indian government has allocated additional funds to NCB and other agencies for efficient scanning at container ports and policing of Indian waters. Almost 70% of drugs in India are supplied through Salim’s network and most of it comes through route of Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The methamphetamine shipment seized last month came through this route only and has been dubbed as Death crescent by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Salim has connections with Pakistan based terror group Lashkar-e-taiba and supplies drugs to India, Sri Lanka, Maldives and some of the West Asian countries. An officer revealed, “The modus operandi used by Salim’s cartel is similar to that of D-Company’s in 90s, where exchange of contraband took place mid-sea from a mother boat (large vessels) to small fishing boats and dhows.”
A special edition of NCB’s annual report 2022 stated “The maritime drug trafficking in Arabian sea and Bay of Bengal poses new challenges to drug law enforcement agencies and they anticipate further increase of this route by international drug trafficking syndicates operating from Pakistan and Afghanistan.”
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