SIA Nabs Narco-Terror Kingpin Mohammad Arshad At Mumbai Airport

The SIA arrested Mohammad Arshad alias Asif, key narco-terror handler from Poonch, at Mumbai Airport. Linked to Pakistan handlers, he directed operations from Saudi Arabia since 2023.

Image: ANI

The kingpin of a major narco-terror module, identified as Mohammad Arshad alias Asif, has been arrested by the State Investigation Agency (SIA) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai.

Mohammad Arshad, also known as Asif, hails from Degwar-Terwan village in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. He is considered the main handler and a crucial link between Pakistan-based handlers and operatives active in Jammu and Kashmir.

According to official information, Arshad had been evading authorities since 2023 and was directing the module’s activities from Saudi Arabia.

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The case originated in May 2023 after a joint operation in the Pir Panjal region led to the arrest of four terrorists and the recovery of a large quantity of contraband and weapons, including heroin, an IED, hand grenades, rifles, and pistols. During this joint operation conducted by the Police and Army on the intervening night of May 30–31, 2023, a huge cache of arms, ammunition, and narcotics was recovered, which included Heroin of 29 kg, one Improvised Explosive Device (IED), six hand grenades, one AK-56 Rifle, four pistols, and seventy Live AK-56 Rounds.

Eight individuals were found to be involved in the case, with Arshad being one of two who remained absconding. The SIA had issued a Look-Out Circular (LOC) and a Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) against him in 2023.

Arshad had organized a clandestine meeting in the Surankote area of Poonch to revive terrorism and narco-terror activities in the Pir Panjal region.

The other absconder, Laquit Ahmed, was apprehended at Ahmedabad Airport in March 2025. Arshad had facilitated Laquit’s travel to Dubai after the incident.

He is currently in custody on a three-day transit remand from Mumbai. The SIA had earlier attached his property in Poonch in September 2024 as part of the ongoing investigation.

Arshad’s arrest marks a major breakthrough for the State Investigation Agency of Jammu and Kashmir in its efforts to curb narco-terrorism in the Union Territory.