Why does ISI want Dawood Ibrahim to sell cigarettes

Terrorists did in recent times try to step up ATM robberies in a bid to finance themselves.

An Intelligence Bureau report states that Pakistan has instructed Dawood Ibrahim to step up sale of illicit cigarettes to fund operations in Kashmir. With the sale of drugs down and a heavy crackdown on counterfeit currency, there has been a cash crunch in the Valley.

Terrorists did in recent times try to step up ATM robberies in a bid to finance themselves. However barring two incidents in the past, the rest have been complete failures.

IB officers tell OneIndia that the sale of illicit cigarettes has been a major draw for terrorist groups. It was earlier a mode of self-financing that was used by the al-Qaeda. However now Pakistan wants the D-Gang to boost this trade in a bid to finance terror operations in Kashmir.

The problem with counterfeiting is that the racketeers come very soon under the nose of the Intelligence agencies. The sale of illicit cigarettes is a relatively new mode of financing for Pakistan terror groups. The IB says that the ISI hopes that by introducing this new mode, they would be able to avoid the eyes and ears of the agencies at least for some time.

The IB has issued a directive to the forces along the border to step up vigil. A huge consignment of illicit cigarettes is being prepared. It is ready to ship across the border the IB has also warned.

Recently a report titled Illicit Trade: Fuelling Terror Financing and Organised Crime spoke about how illicit cigarette trade is facilitating terror operations. The report went on to state that this mode of financing has been used most by the al-Qaeda and the Irish Republican Army. The report stated that both the al-Qaeda and the IRA source income from the illicit trade of cigarettes among other goods.

The IB officer said that this would be a new challenge. Counterfeiting of currency has almost dropped to nil along the Indo-Pak border. There is also a tight vigil and major crackdown where the smuggling of drugs is concerned. In the past Pakistan has financed terror operations through the sale of California Almonds. However with the NIA busting that modus operandi, now the ISI has directed the D-Gang to start selling cigarettes illegally to boost funds for terror operations in Kashmir.

OneIndia News