The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) was on Monday granted the custody of an accused till August 20, who was arrested in connection with seizure of 5 kg heroine worth nearly Rs 15 crore from a coastal village at Salaya in Devbhumi Dwarka district. The accused, Aziz Abdul Baghad, was arrested on Sunday. Police, meanwhile, on Monday arrested another accused, Rafiq Sumra, from Mandavi in connection with the same case. Earlier in the day, ATS officials produced Aziz before a Salaya court and sought his remand for further custody. Officials said that the heroine seized from Salaya was part of over 100 kg consignment, which couldn’t be traced. This consignment was allegedly smuggled from Pakistan by sea and then transported to Punjab by road. “Aziz had brought the consignment of 100 kg heroine. He kept 5 kg with him and sent the rest to another person who took it to Punjab. We are trying to trace him. This happened around four months ago,” an ATS official said. Aziz has several trawlers ferrying goods between India and Dubai, the official said, adding that he did not have any criminal antecedents. Sources said that Aziz was caught while he was trying to sell the heroine. He was promised Rs 50 lakh for handing over the drugs to an unidentified person. He was paid Rs 34 lakh, sources added.Aziz’s maternal uncle Bashir Kundra alias Raja’s name had figured in a major heroine smuggling case, which was busted by Australian Navy in 2014. The consignment allegedly came from Pakistan that was being carried in Bhashir’s trawler. Bhashir has also been booked for forgery in Veraval.
