Enforcement Directorate Conducts Raids in Delhi Amid Drug Money Laundering Probe
Indiadailyupdate.com – The Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out searches at five sites in Delhi on Wednesday as part of a probe into money laundering tied to the 3,000 kg drug seizure at Mundra port in Gujarat. The operation focused on properties associated with Harpreet Singh Talwar, a Delhi-based entrepreneur known as Kabir Talwar, and others under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Talwar, who runs prominent nightclubs in the capital, was previously detained by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in this case but was recently granted bail.
Case Stemming from Massive Heroin Seizure
The investigation began after 2,988.21 kg of Afghan heroin was confiscated at Mundra port in September 2021 by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence. The ED filed a money laundering case in the same year, tracing the illicit funds generated from the international drug trade. Officials stated that the seized drugs were estimated to have a market value of approximately ₹21,000 crore and were believed to have entered India through Iran.
“Preliminary findings indicate that a segment of the drug profits was channeled into ventures within Delhi’s nightlife and hospitality sectors, prompting scrutiny over the misuse of illegal funds in these industries,” officials reported to ANI.
Alleged Ties to Terror Network
Earlier in August 2022, the NIA arrested Talwar and Delhi resident Prince Sharma following synchronized operations across multiple states. The agency accused them of being part of an international drug trafficking ring that used shell companies to import heroin from Afghanistan into India. The narcotics were then distributed via networks involving Afghan nationals in states such as Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.
Link to Lashkar-e-Taiba
The NIA’s chargesheet claims the drug trafficking operation is connected to the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). It alleges that proceeds from heroin sales were funneled to support the group’s activities. This raises questions about the role of illicit finances in funding cross-border terror initiatives.
