Turkey extradites alleged Afghan drug smuggler to India

Turkey has deported Nawapreet Singh, a 34-year-old Indian national accused of trafficking heroin and methamphetamine from Afghanistan to India, and handed him over to Indian authorities. Indian Interior Minister Amit Shah said on Saturday that the man was returned to India after being identified and tracked by Indian agencies.

According to Shah, Singh had obtained Turkish citizenship under the name “Navab Virk” and with a false identity. He is a resident of India’s Punjab state and had been under watch in connection with several drug cases. He had been on the run for more than two years.

Indian officials allege that Singh led an international drug trafficking network and that his cousin, Prabhdeep Singh, ran the group’s operations in India. Prabhdeep, known as “Harry,” was brought back to India from Azerbaijan in May.

Prabhdeep Singh had been under surveillance in connection with the seizure of 358 kilograms of heroin in 2021. People familiar with the case said India had asked Turkish authorities in 2023 and 2024 to hand over Nawapreet Singh.

Amit Shah called Singh’s handover to India a “historic achievement” and said the Indian government was committed to dismantling drug trafficking networks.