ED arrests six on money-laundering charge linked to cross-border drug trafficking

Probe was based on a case related to smuggling of Afghan-origin heroin into India

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested six people for their alleged involvement in money laundering pertaining to cross-border drug trafficking.

The accused have been identified as Lovejit Singh aka Labba, Manjeet Singh aka Manna, Prabhjit Singh, Ramandeep Singh and  Gurpreet Singh.

The ED probe is based on a case related to the smuggling of Afghan-origin heroin into India. While 293.81 kg of heroin was seized from containers imported by Sandhu Exports at Nhava Sheva Port (Navi Mumbai) by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, the Delhi police Special Cell had impounded 352.71 kg of drugs from two vehicles and a flat in Faridabad, Haryana.

According to the ED, the arrested people coordinated the smuggling, storage and distribution of heroin across Punjab, Haryana and Delhi.

“These individuals were key members of a syndicate that smuggled heroin from Afghanistan and Iran concealing them within shipments of talc stone and gypsum powder. The accused persons incorporated Sandhu Exports, a front company owned by Prabhjit Singh, to carry out the smuggling of drugs,” it said.

The ED uncovered a highly sophisticated heroin smuggling and money laundering network where identification of multiple bank accounts, cash transactions and operational expenses by the accused has been made, said the agency.

The accused disguised the origin of the illicit funds, which were further layered and integrated into seemingly legitimate financial activities.

“The syndicate did not make any payments to Afghan suppliers until the drugs were sold in local market. Further, the accused used cash payments to purchase multiple vehicles...from second-hand market for supplying the drugs from the storage hubs to other points of distribution,” said an official. 

The agency said cash was used for purchase of high-end smartphones and encrypted communication apps were used to coordinate smuggling activities.

“Drugs smuggled from Iran and Afghanistan used to be imported via Nava Sheva port, later stored at a rented godown in Shivpuri (Madhya Pradesh) and further distributed for local supply in parts of Delhi, Punjab and Haryana. The transportation was carried out in lesser quantities of 10 kg to prevent detection by law enforcement agencies,” it said.  

The ED has attached a property in Jandoli village (Rajpura, Punjab), multiple bank accounts in the names of the accused and fixed deposits.

Published - October 22, 2024 04:12 pm IST