The Maintenance Directorate (ED) performed searches across several places in Mumbai on Wednesday as part of a money laundering investigation related to an alleged drug trade network, officials said. The operation aims to detect the returns generated from the illegal activities of an ‘established’ drug network involving Faisal Javed Shaikh and Alfiya Faisal Shaikh. Eight premises in Mumbai are searched under the provisions of the Money Laundry Prevention Act (PMLA), they said. Faisal Shaikh bought a stimulating medicine -managing director (Mephedrone or ‘Meow Meow’) by Salim Dola, a notorious drug queen sought by law enforcement agencies for his involvement in the trafficking drugs and financing illegal drug networks, said officials said. According to officials, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) announced a reward for information that led to the arrest of Dola. Ed -klop hunting Prithviraj Sukumaran, Dulquer Salmaan in Kerala Luxury Cars Smokgling Case Meanwhile, the Ed on Wednesday made raids at properties linked to the actors, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Dulquer Salmaan, Amit Chakkalackal, and several others about Kerala and Tamil Nadu, involves. Motors from Bhutan to India, official sources said. The searches also targeted vehicle owners, car workshops and dealers in Ernakulam, Thissur, Kozhikode, Malapuram, Kottayam and Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu). According to the sources, a total of 17 places are being sought. The operation is conducted under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), following a recent investigation by the customs-prevailing division that exposed alleged smuggling of high vehicles and illegal foreign exchange transactions. The searches stem from intelligence regarding a syndicate involved in the illegal import and registration of luxury vehicles such as Land Cruiser, Defender and Maserati via the India-Bhutan and India-Nepal routes, officials said. Initial findings suggest that a network in Coimbatore was behind the operation, using “forged” documents that claim to be issued by the Indian Army, the US Embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MEA), together with fraudulent RTO registrations in countries such as Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and others. These high-end vehicles were then allegedly sold to individuals with high net worth (HNIS), including film families, at undervalued prices. The ED believes the case reflects ‘prima facie’ violations of Articles 3, 4 and 8 of the FEMA, which involves unauthorized foreign exchange transactions and borderline payments by Hawala channels.
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