New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate has arrested six persons in connection with an investigation under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) linked to a cross-border drugs smuggling network.
An investigation by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) unearthed a major drug trafficking operation involving the smuggling of heroin from Afghanistan into India.
Lovejit Singh alias Labba , Manjeet Singh alias Manna were arrested on October 11 while Prabhjit Singh, Gurjot Singh and Ramandeep Singh were arrested on October 18 and one Gurpreet Singh was held on October 20, the agency said in a statement.
ED investigation revealed that the arrested persons ie Lovejit Singh, Manjeet Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Gurjot Singh, Gurpreet Singh and Prabhjit Singh, coordinated the smuggling, storage and distribution of heroin across Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi.
They were were key members of a syndicate that smuggled heroin from Afghanistan and Iran concealing them within shipments of talc stone and gypsum powder.
According to the central probe agency the accused persons incorporated Sandhu Exports, a front company owned by Prabhjit Singh, to carry out the smuggling of drugs.
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According to ED, the investigation under PMLA linked to a cross-border drugs smuggling network was initiated based on the seizure of 293.81 kg of heroin from containers imported by Sandhu Exports at Nhava Sheva Port by DRI and the seizure of 352.71 kg of heroin from two vehicles and a flat in Faridabad, Haryana by the Delhi Police Special Cell. Thus, a total of 646.52 Kg. of heroin has been seized so far.
ED uncovered the highly sophisticated heroin smuggling and money laundering network where the identification of multiple bank accounts, cash transactions, and operational expenses by the accused has been made.
The accused disguised the origin of the illicit funds, which were further layered and integrated into seemingly legitimate financial activities. It was also revealed that the syndicate did not make any payments to Afghan suppliers until the drugs were sold in the local market. Further, the accused used cash payments to purchase multiple vehicles in the second-hand market for trafficking from the storage hubs to further distribution.
The ED investigation revealed that cash was used for the 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 in Mumbai, later stored at a rented godown in Shivpuri Madhya Pradesh, and further distributed for local supply in parts of Delhi, Punjab and Haryana. Transportation was carried out in lesser quantities of 10 kg to prevent detection by law enforcement agencies.
Previously, a property in Jandoli Village (Rajpura, Punjab), multiple bank accounts in the names of accused persons, and fixed deposits were attached by the ED.
—ANI