The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is conducting searches in over 100 locations across six states as part of its crackdown on nexus between gangsters, drug smugglers and terrorist groups based in foreign countries. The searches are being conducted in co-ordination with state police forces of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh.
In February, NIA had raided the houses of people suspected to be in contact with gangsters in Haryana, Punjab, and Chandigarh. The agency has already filed two charge-sheets out of three cases, the Indian Express reported. The central agency had also arrested Deepak Ranga, a close associate of Canada-based gangster Lakhbir Singh alias Landa and Pakistan-based gangster Harvinder Singh Rinda.
The raids ramp up the NIA's ongoing efforts to dismantle transnational terror and crime networks. NIA probes have revealed that these gangs carry out targetted killings and are raising funds for terror activities through smuggling of drugs and illegal weapons. They are also involved in recruiting impressionable youth in their gangs to carry out criminal activities.
Gang leaders are also in close contact with those operating from foreign countries including Pakistan and Canada to plan crimes with pro-Khalistan elements already lodged in various prisons.
