Taliban Fund raisers arrested in Maldives

Authorities of the United States have seized four men accused of "narco-terrorism" conspiracies to help Hezbollah and the Taliban, reported by AFP.

Two men were captured in the Maldives and another two in Bucharest, the Romanian capital. According to AFP, Manhattan US Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement, they were being brought before a federal judge in New York.

According to AFP, three of the four were accused of conspiring to support Hezbollah, the Lebanese political party and military organization, which Washington designates a terrorist group. According to the indictment undercover US narcotics agents pretending to represent Hezbollah agreed to purchase hundreds of kilograms of heroin. The agents then struck a deal in February to sell the alleged gang "military-grade weaponry" destined for Hezbollah.

"The $9.5 million weapons package discussed included surface-to-air missiles, Russian and US-made assault rifles, sniper rifles and ammunition. A down payment of $100,000 was transferred for the weapons," reported AFP.

Separately, a man was arrested the Maldives and extradited to New York on charges that he sold heroin he believed was destined for the United States and sold assault rifles he thought were going to the Taliban movement in Afghanistan.

Maldives Police Services (MPS) has confirmed the arrest in the Maldives. Media official of Maldives Police Services, Sub Inspector Ahmed Shiyam said that the necessary steps regarding the matter is taken by the immigration officials. He also said that the details of the matter will be later disclosed.

The nationality of the seized are not mentioned by any authority yet.