Absconding drug smuggler associated with Dawood, money used for terror funding: Mumbai police

Rajput was associated with fugitive gangsters Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Shakeel, and most of the money earned from the smuggling of drugs and banned medicines was used for terror funding, the remand application claimed.The investigators wanted to question Shirazi on this angle further, the AEC said.

Absconding drug smuggler Kailash Rajput was associated with gangsters Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Shakeel and most of the money made by his syndicate was being used for terror funding, Mumbai police told a court here on Thursday. The Anti Extortion Cell (AEC) of Mumbai Crime Branch sought an extension of the custody of Ali Asgar Shirazi, Rajput's close aide who was arrested on May 22 at the Mumbai airport while trying to flee to Dubai.

The court extended his custody till June 5. Shirazi had been working with Rajput since 2012 and the gang was involved in the smuggling of narcotic drugs and banned medicines, the AEC told the court. Rajput was associated with fugitive gangsters Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Shakeel, and most of the money earned from the smuggling of drugs and banned medicines was used for terror funding, the remand application claimed.

The investigators wanted to question Shirazi on this angle further, the AEC said. Since 2022, Shirazi was sending banned medicines, Tramadol, Kamagra, cigarettes, hukka flavours, electronic items and ketamine to the UK, USA and Australia, it added.

Records show that at least 30 shipments of banned products were sent to various countries, the AEC said.

AEC officials have recovered a 'Menifesto' file from his office computer which contains information related to his smuggling activities in code language, and the investigators wanted to question Shirazi about it too, the remand plea said.

Recently he had visited Jammu and Kashmir, which is a major drug trade hub, the AEC said. Shirazi had also invested money in hospitality, gas firms, immovable assets and owned three courier companies, it said.