NIA Arrests Alleged Hizbul Narco-Terror Financier After Extradition From Portugal

India's National Investigation Agency said it arrested Iqbal Singh, also known as Shera, on May 13, 2026, after securing his extradition from Portugal. Singh had allegedly fled India in 2020 while facing accusations of masterminding a Hizbul-ul-Mujahideen narco-terror financing operation that smuggled heroin from Pakistan and routed drug proceeds through hawala networks to militant operatives in Kashmir and Pakistan.

The Details

Singh, a native of Amritsar, was taken into custody by an NIA team at Delhi airport after arriving from Portugal, according to The Hindu. The Central Bureau of Investigation coordinated with India's Ministry of External Affairs and the Union Home Ministry to facilitate the extradition.

The Hindu, citing an NIA statement, reported that Singh is alleged to have masterminded a conspiracy involving the smuggling of heroin from Pakistan into Punjab. He is accused of coordinating the trafficking and distribution of the drugs and channeling proceeds through hawala networks to Pakistan- and Kashmir-based operatives of Hizbul Mujahideen to facilitate terror activities.

Singh allegedly fled India in 2020 as the investigation into the narco-terror network intensified. A non-bailable warrant was issued against him in October 2020, and an Interpol Red Notice followed in June 2021, according to The Hindu.

The Times of India separately described the extradition as a breakthrough against Pakistan-backed narco-terror and cross-border terror networks. The outlet reported that Singh was taken into custody by an NIA team after arriving from Portugal, corroborating The Hindu's account of the arrest.

The original case was registered by Punjab Police following the arrest of an alleged Hizbul overground worker named Hilal Ahmed Shergojri. Authorities seized ₹29 lakh from Shergojri, and an additional ₹32 lakh was later recovered from Punjab-based gang members believed to be linked to the same network, according to The Hindu.

In its statement quoted by The Hindu, the NIA said: "A native of Amritsar in Punjab, Shera had masterminded the conspiracy involving the smuggling of narcotics from Pakistan into the border State. He had coordinated and overseen the trafficking and distribution of the smuggled drugs and channelised the proceeds through 'hawala' networks to Pakistan and Kashmir-based operatives of HM to facilitate terror activities."

Most of the detailed operational claims about Singh's role originate from NIA allegations as reported by The Hindu and the Times of India. Independent corroboration beyond the outlets' coverage of the agency statement was limited, and no direct NIA press release was independently retrieved during the reporting process.

Context

The case centers on alleged narco-terror financing tied to Hizbul Mujahideen, an India-designated militant organization active in Kashmir. Indian security agencies have repeatedly cited instances in which drug proceeds are routed through hawala networks to fund militant activity linked to cross-border operations originating from Pakistan.

Singh's extradition represents the culmination of a multi-year process. He allegedly left India in 2020. The issuance of an Interpol Red Notice in June 2021 signaled that Indian authorities were seeking international cooperation for his return. The involvement of the CBI, the Ministry of External Affairs, and the Union Home Ministry in facilitating the extradition underscores the inter-agency coordination required to bring a fugitive back from a foreign jurisdiction, according to The Hindu.

The case originated with Punjab Police before the NIA took up the investigation. The seizure of over ₹61 lakh in combined proceeds — ₹29 lakh from Shergojri and ₹32 lakh from associated gang members — illustrates the scale of the financial flows the NIA alleges were being diverted to militant operatives, The Hindu reported.

What's Next

The NIA has not publicly announced specific next steps in the prosecution, including court dates or hearing schedules for Singh. The agency's case file, built on the original Punjab Police investigation and the proceeds recovered from Shergojri and the associated gang members, will form the basis of its handling of the matter in court.

Further details about the extradition proceedings in Portugal, the legal basis for Singh's handover, and the status of any co-accused in the case have not been reported in the available coverage. The NIA has not yet issued a detailed public statement beyond what was cited by The Hindu and the Times of India.