Mumbai, June 4 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches at 21 locations across Mumbai, Surat, Ankleshwar and Rajkot in connection with a “Trans-national Organised Narcotics Trafficking Syndicate” operated by Salim Ismail Dola, an alleged drug trafficker associated with the Dawood Ibrahim gang who was recently extradited from Turkey, and his aides, seizing currency and gold bars valued at around Rs 1.33 crore, an official said on Thursday.

The ED’s Mumbai Zonal Office, conducted the search operations at 21 locations across Mumbai, Surat, Ankleshwar and Rajkot on Tuesday and Wednesday under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, an official statement said.

The search operations covered the organised narcotics network of Salim Dola, including end-to-end nodes of the syndicate which includes precursor chemical suppliers, chemical traders, manufactures/distributors of the synthetic narcotic drug Mephedrone (MD), hawala operators and persons holding benami properties worth crores of rupees acquired from proceeds of crime generated through the organised drug syndicate.

The search operation has targeted critical links of the illicit supply chain and money laundering ecosystem to significantly disrupt the syndicate’s operational capabilities and financial infrastructure, the statement said.

The searches resulted in the seizure and freezing of cash, foreign currency, gold bars, and bank balances valued at nearly Rs 1.33 crore, along with foreign currency totalling $2,200.

“Additionally, documents relating to immovable properties worth several crores of rupees located in India and Dubai were recovered, indicating substantial investments made from the proceeds of the organised drug syndicate,” the ED statement said.

The investigation in the matter was initiated on the basis of multiple FIRs registered by various law enforcement agencies in Mumbai against Dola and others for offences relating to illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

“The probe revealed the existence of a highly organised trans-national criminal network engaged in procurement of precursor chemicals, clandestine manufacture of Mephedrone (MD), interstate transportation and distribution of narcotic drugs, international trafficking of narcotic substances, collection and layering of proceeds of crime through hawala channels, and acquisition of movable and immovable assets in the names of associates and other persons,” the ED said.

–IANS

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