The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday conducted searches at multiple locations in Delhi as part of a money laundering investigation into the 2021 Mundra port drugs haul case, officials said.
Around five premises located in the national capital are being covered by the central agency, including those of Delhi-based businessman Harpreet Singh Talwar alias Kabir Talwar and some others, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the ED officials said.
Background of the Drugs Haul
In one of the biggest seizures of drugs in the world, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), an enforcement agency under the Union Finance Ministry like the ED, had seized 2,988.21 kg of Afghan heroin from the Mundra port in the Kutch district of Gujarat in September 2021.
Talwar, who ran popular nightclubs in Delhi, was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the drugs haul case in August 2022. He recently came out of prison after being granted bail by the Gujarat High Court.
Scope of the ED Investigation
The ED's searches are focused on gathering evidence related to the proceeds of crime generated from the illicit drug trade. The agency is examining financial transactions and assets linked to the accused individuals.
The case has drawn significant attention due to the massive quantity of heroin seized, valued at several thousand crores in the international market. The DRI's operation at Mundra port was a major blow to drug trafficking networks operating in the region.
