ED conducts first raids along India-Myanmar border in drug money laundering case
They added that during the operation, the federal agency seized Rs 35 lakh in cash along with various digital devices.
Searches were carried out under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at Aizawl and Champhai in Mizoram, Sribhumi (Karimganj) in Assam and Ahmedabad in Gujarat.
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The investigation follows a Mizoram Police FIR regarding the seizure of 4.72 kg of heroin worth Rs 1.41 crore from six persons. According to ED officials, these are the first searches carried out by the agency in the Champhai district on the India-Myanmar border. India shares a 1,643 km border with Myanmar along its eastern border.
Financial analysis of the arrested persons revealed “financial links” between some firms in Mizoram and some companies based in Gujarat, officials said.
They added that Gujarat companies were supplying Pseudoephedrine tablets and Caffeine Anhydrous, precursors used in the production of methamphetamine tablets, to Mizoram-based companies allegedly linked to drug traffickers operating through Champhai. Authorities explained that these smugglers were reported to carry out hawala transactions through habitual criminals. Further, the ED stated that some financial transactions of Mizoram entities were traced to Kolkata-based front companies that provided shipments of Anhydrous Caffeine. Mizoram,” officials added.
The agency’s analysis also revealed bank deposits totaling Rs 52.8 million linked to narco-hawala operators, including cash deposits in Assam, Mizoram, Nagaland, West Bengal, Tripura and Delhi.
Authorities said that some hawala operators were questioned at the scene during the raids, and that the investigation into the cross-border narcotics and money laundering network continues.
With inputs from PTI
