ED Cracks Down on India-Myanmar Border Narcotics Trade: Maiden Raids Conducted
Image Source: Internet
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has launched a major crackdown on the India-Myanmar border narcotics trade, conducting its first-ever raids in Mizoram, Assam, and Gujarat. The searches, carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, targeted locations in Aizawl, Champhai, Sribhumi, and Ahmedabad, resulting in the seizure of ₹35 lakh in cash and digital devices. The ED's probe revealed a complex web of financial linkages between firms in Mizoram and Gujarat, with the latter supplying precursor chemicals used in the production of Methamphetamine. These chemicals are transported from India to Myanmar, where they are manufactured, and the final products are smuggled back into India through Mizoram. Financial analysis by the ED detected deposits worth ₹52.8 crore in the bank accounts of narco-hawala operators across Assam, Mizoram, Nagaland, West Bengal, Tripura, and Delhi. The agency is questioning hawala operators during the searches as it continues to investigate the case. India's 1,643-kilometer border with Myanmar has long been a concern, with the porous international border facilitating the smuggling of precursor chemicals and narcotics. The ED's actions mark a significant step towards tackling this issue and bringing those involved to justice.
