Enforcement Directorate arrests 6 for drugs smuggling

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested six persons Lovejit Singh alias Labba, Manjeet Singh alias Manna, Prabhjit Singh, Gurjot Singh, Ramandeep Singh and Gurpreet Singh between October 11 and 20 in connection with an investigation under PMLA linked to a cross-border drugs smuggling network.

A major drug trafficking operation involving smuggling of heroin from Afghanistan into India was unearthed during the investigation, official sources said.

The PMLA investigation was initiated on the basis of seizure of 294 kg of heroin from containers imported by M/s Sandhu Exports at Nhava Sheva port by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and seizure of 353 kg of heroin from two vehicles and a flat in Faridabad, Haryana, by the Delhi Police Special Cell, leading to a total seizure of 647 kg of heroin.

ED investigation revealed that the arrested persons 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.

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

The agency through its probe uncovered the highly sophisticated heroin smuggling and money laundering network where identification of multiple bank accounts, cash transactions and operational expenses by the accused were made.

The accused persons 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 local market.

Further, the accused used cash payments to purchase multiple vehicles including Toyota Fortuner, Etios, Hyundai Verna etc, in second-hand market for trafficking from the storage hubs to further distribution.

ED investigation further revealed that 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 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, sources informed.

Earlier, a property in Jandoli village (Rajpura, Punjab), multiple bank accounts in the names of accused persons, and fixed deposits had been attached by ED.

Further investigation is under progress, sources said.