ED seizes 66 kg marijuana in Tripura; benami properties, hawala links found
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) announced on Saturday the seizure of approximately 66 kilograms of "high-quality" marijuana during raids in Tripura as part of an ongoing investigation into a narcotics trafficking-related money laundering case.
- Jan 11, 2025,
- Updated Jan 11, 2025, 8:47 PM IST
A day after massive raids in seven locations in Tripura, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on Saturday, January 11 said during the search operations, substantial amount of high quality cannabis along with other incriminating evidence, including financial records, details of illegal properties, and electronic devices were seized.
In the statement the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) said that they have conducted coordinated search in Agartala across multiple locations in Tripura on January 10 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, targeting inter-state drug artels involved in the trafficking of narcotic substances, including Ganja and Phensidyl.
"ED initiated investigation in three different money laundering cases on the basis of multiple FIRs registered by Tripura Police under various sections of the NDPS Act, 1985, against Kamini Debbarma, Bishu Tripura, Aup Ranjan Das, and others for the offense of trafficking narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances" it said.
The statement reads that the accused persons maintained an interstate network facilitating drug trafficking across various states, including Tripura, Assam, Bihar, and other parts of India.
"This operation is part of the ongoing efforts by ED to combat the illegal drug trade and to trace and attach Proceeds of Crime (POC) generated from illegal drug trafficking. ED investigation revealed that the POC generated through drug trafficking, received via hawala and deposited in benami accounts, were invested in purchasing various movable (fixed deposits, bank balances, etc.) and immovable properties in the names of family members and benamidars.
During the search operations, substantial amount (around 66 kgs) of high quality Ganja (marijuana) along with other incriminating evidence, including financial records, details of benami properties, and electronic devices, suggesting generation of significant amount of POC were seized", said the statement.
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