Shahbaz Khan Arrested in Global Heroin Plot

Shahbaz Khan, a 68-year-old citizen of Pakistan, stands accused of trying to launch a transnational heroin empire with New York City as its hub. Khan was arrested by Liberian authorities on December 1, 2016, and swiftly expelled to the United States, where he faced federal charges in Manhattan. The arrest marks the collapse of a sprawling scheme to flood American streets with hundreds of kilograms of high-purity heroin, according to court documents unsealed today.

Khan allegedly conspired to import at least five kilograms of what he described as ‘100% pure’ heroin from Southwest Asia into the United States, with plans to scale up to hundreds of additional kilos. Prosecutors say he met in person and via recorded phone calls with individuals he believed were fellow traffickers—unaware they were working under DEA direction, including an undercover agent. During these encounters, Khan boasted he could ship narcotics by air or sea to the U.S., Canada, and “anywhere else in the world.”

In late September 2016, Khan met the undercover agent in a country in Southwest Asia, where he finalized arrangements for the initial five-kilogram shipment. He promised continued deliveries once the first batch reached New York City. By early October, one of Khan’s employees delivered the narcotics on his orders. Through subsequent calls, Khan confirmed the drugs were his and expected payment only after successful arrival in the U.S.

The complaint, filed in the Southern District of New York, charges Khan with one count of conspiracy to import heroin and one count of attempting to import heroin into the United States. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years. The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara and DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge James Schrant.

Bharara did not mince words, stating, “Shahbaz Khan allegedly had designs on establishing an international narcotics smuggling empire.” He added, “Thanks to the work of the DEA, Khan’s plans have changed dramatically, from arranging massive shipments of heroin to American cities to defending federal narcotics charges in a Manhattan courtroom.”

The investigation spanned continents, involving the DEA’s Bilateral Investigations Unit and country offices in Accra, Canberra, Dubai, Islamabad, Kabul, Nairobi, and New Delhi. Critical support came from the DEA’s New York Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Strike Force, the Government of Liberia, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, and the Maldives Police Service. Authorities say the operation underscores the global reach of U.S. drug enforcement.