New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday conducted searches at a dozen locations in four states in connection with the alleged smuggling of arms, ammunition and IEDs into the country from across the India-Pakistan border as part of a conspiracy to carry out terrorist attacks in Punjab, Delhi and other parts of India. The searches included four places in UP, two each in Rajasthan and Bihar and three in Maharashtra. An NIA spokesperson said that during the coordinated operation by the NIA teams, several digital devices were seized which will be forensically analyzed to unravel the entire terror conspiracy in the case. A case was registered by the Special Operations Cell of Punjab Police in Amritsar in February this year after the arrest of a man after he was found with IEDs packed in a metal box along with a remote control set, a mobile handset, a foreign-made .30 bore pistol with magazine and 20 live cartridges. Various sections of the Indian Justice Code (BNS), Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Arms Act, Explosive Substances Act and NDPS Act were invoked in the FIR. After taking over the investigation, NIA found that the purpose of cross-border smuggling was to carry out IED blasts at various places in Punjab, Delhi and other parts of India to cause widespread damage to life and property and disrupt the peace and stability of the country. Investigation further revealed that the arrested accused was in contact with several people in different parts of the country to carry out terrorism, arson and other violent activities. The NIA said efforts are on to identify other Indian and international elements involved in the conspiracy.