Mumbai: ED conducts raids in drug trafficking-linked money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting searches across multiple locations in Mumbai on Wednesday as part of a money laundering probe connected to an alleged drug trafficking network, officials said. The operation aims to trace proceeds generated from the illicit activities of a "well-established" drug network involving Faisal Javed Shaikh and Alfiya Faisal Shaikh.

Eight premises in Mumbai are being searched under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), ED officials said.

According to officials, Faisal Shaikh was purchasing stimulant drug MD (mephedrone or 'meow meow') through Salim Dola, a notorious drug kingpin wanted by law enforcement agencies for his involvement in narcotics trafficking and funding illegal drug networks.

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has announced a reward for information leading to Dola's arrest, according to officials.

ED raids Prithviraj Sukumaran, Dulquer Salmaan in Kerala luxury cars smuggling case

Separately, the ED on Wednesday raided properties linked to actors Prithviraj Sukumaran, Dulquer Salmaan, Amit Chakkalackal, and several others across Kerala and Tamil Nadu, in connection with a customs case involving the suspected smuggling of luxury cars from Bhutan into India, official sources said.

The searches also targeted vehicle owners, auto workshops, and traders located in Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kottayam, and Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu). In total, 17 locations are being searched, according to the sources.

The operation is being carried out under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), following a recent investigation by the Customs Preventive Department that uncovered alleged smuggling of high-end vehicles and illicit foreign exchange transactions.

The searches stem from intelligence regarding a syndicate involved in the illegal import and registration of luxury vehicles like Land Cruiser, Defender, and Maserati via the India-Bhutan and India-Nepal routes, officials said.

Initial findings suggest that a Coimbatore-based network was behind the operation. The network used "forged" documents claiming to be issued by the Indian Army, US Embassy, and Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), along with fraudulent RTO registrations in states such as Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and others.

These high-end vehicles were then allegedly sold at undervalued prices to high-net-worth individuals (HNIs), including film celebrities. The ED believes the case reflects "prima facie" violations of Sections 3, 4, and 8 of the FEMA, involving unauthorised foreign exchange transactions and cross-border payments routed through hawala channels.