Major Cross-Border Drug Network Busted, ED Initiates Money Laundering Prosecution
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken a decisive step in a high-profile international drug trafficking case by filing a formal complaint under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The action targets four individuals allegedly at the heart of a sophisticated cross-border heroin supply network that stretched from Pakistan to the tricity region of Chandigarh, Panchkula, and Mohali.
Court Accepts Complaint and Schedules Hearing
The ED presented its complaint before the Special PMLA Court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Bhawna Jain in Chandigarh. The court has officially registered the case and scheduled the next hearing for December 23, 2025, when it will review the submitted documents and records. This legal move marks the beginning of the formal prosecution process for money laundering charges against the accused.
Massive Asset Attachment and Initial Arrests
In a significant financial blow to the alleged syndicate, the ED has attached assets worth Rs 15 crore believed to have been acquired through illicit drug money. These properties are located across various parts of Punjab. This action followed the initial breakthrough by the Chandigarh Police's Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), which last year arrested the four accused: Lovepreet Singh (alias Lavi Sarpanch), Vikramjit Singh (alias Vicky), Krishan Singh, and Nishan Singh Soni.
During the ANTF's operation, authorities seized 4.5 kg of heroin with an estimated street value exceeding Rs 20 crore. The Chandigarh Police also seized assets worth Rs 35 lakh in connection with the case.
How the Drug Network Was Unraveled
The network's downfall began in March 2024 during a late-night patrol in Chandigarh's Sector 43. Acting on a tip-off, an ANTF team set up a trap and apprehended Vikramjit Singh and an associate near the Sector 42 lake. From their Toyota car, police recovered 1.01 kg of heroin.
Interrogations led investigators to the alleged kingpin, Lovepreet Singh, a resident of Ferozepur, who was subsequently arrested from a hotel in Ludhiana. The police impounded a Ford Endeavour, an Audi car, and seized Rs 4.5 lakh in cash – all identified as proceeds from narcotics sales.
A subsequent raid on a Mohali flat resulted in the recovery of an additional 502 grams of heroin and the arrest of Krishan Singh. In a startling revelation, investigators discovered that another accused, Nishan Singh, was operating his part of the network from inside Faridkot jail. Lovepreet Singh disclosed that he frequently took instructions from Nishan on drug delivery points, leading police to secure his arrest via a production warrant.
International Links and Hawala Transfers
The ED's money laundering probe, which began after the drug haul, uncovered extensive financial links and illicit assets. The investigation revealed that the drug consignments were smuggled from Pakistan. Lovepreet Singh, identified as the mastermind, was allegedly connected to an international drug syndicate and used hawala channels for cross-border money transfers.
Investigators traced numerous high-value properties and multiple luxury vehicles back to the accused, all purportedly purchased with the massive profits generated from the heroin trade. The ED's complaint now paves the way for a full trial, aiming to hold the accused accountable for laundering the proceeds of their cross-border criminal enterprise.
