The Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided four locations in Tripura, West Bengal and Mizoram under the PMLA Act in a money laundering case related to international drug trafficking. This action has been taken in a case related to a big cross-border drug syndicate. ED had started this investigation on the basis of the case registered in the Agartala zonal unit of Narcotics Control Bureau i.e. NCB. NCB had registered this case under the NDPS Act.
According to the information, the investigation started when a convoy of vehicles was stopped and searched on NH-06A in Mizoram on 21 August 2025. During the search, NCB had recovered a huge quantity of narcotics. This included about 49.101 kg of methamphetamine pills and 40 grams of heroin. Eight people were arrested in this case.
Sections of the NDPS Act fall under schedule offenses under PMLA, hence ED started investigation from money laundering angle. ED's investigation revealed that this was not a case of ordinary smuggling, but an organized inter-state and international drug network was running. According to the investigation, this syndicate used to source methamphetamine from Myanmar, then smuggled it into India through Champhai and Jokhawthar border sectors of Mizoram.
After this the drug consignment was delivered to the receivers present in Tripura. ED alleges that bank accounts, fake companies, cash and hawala network were used to hide the money earned from drugs. The investigating agency has so far identified suspicious transactions worth more than Rs 142 crore in this network. According to ED, an attempt was made to hide its real source and beneficiaries by moving this money through different accounts and shell companies.
In this case, NCB has already arrested Chintuang alias Tluanga, the main accused of supplying drugs from Myanmar and Jabrul Haq, the main associate of the drug transport network.
The four locations raided by the ED team include the locations of Anwar Hussain alias Suman Mian alias Crorepati Suman and Jashim Mian, residents of Sonamura area of Tripura. According to ED, both are said to be the final receivers of the seized drug consignment. Apart from this, action was also taken against the whereabouts of Hmingthansangi living in Jokhawthar, Mizoram. During investigation, suspicious credits worth more than Rs 33 crore have been found in his bank account.
A raid was also conducted at the residence of Chaitali Das, proprietor of Riju Enterprises in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal. ED suspects that this firm was used to forward the money earned from crime. During the raid, ED found many shocking things. Officials found more than 25 CCTV cameras, which were installed on trees. These cameras were installed to monitor the forest areas and around the India-Bangladesh international border. According to the investigating agency, the houses of Suman Mian and Jashim Mian were adjacent to the India-Bangladesh border, whereas the place where the action took place in Jokhawthar was less than 500 meters from the Myanmar border.
Help of CRPF and BSF was also taken during the search. ED has seized many incriminating documents, digital devices and other evidence related to the investigation from the suspected locations. ED is now investigating other people involved in this entire network, money transactions and international connections related to drug smuggling. Further action is underway in the case.
