Key figures arrested include Lovejit Singh, also known as Labba, Manjeet Singh, alias Manna, along with Prabhjit Singh, Gurjot Singh, Ramandeep Singh, and Gurpreet Singh. They were arrested over the course of October, with the latest detention happening on the 20th of the month. These individuals have been detained under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
This money laundering case stems from earlier operations led by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and the special cell of the Delhi Police, which resulted in the seizure of nearly 650 kilograms of heroin. The narcotics were confiscated in different operations, one of the significant hauls being 293.81 kilograms of heroin discovered at Nhava Sheva Port in Mumbai, concealed in containers imported by a company named Sandhu Exports, believed to be a front for the smuggling syndicate. A separate operation in Faridabad, Haryana, uncovered 352.71 kilograms of heroin hidden in vehicles and a residential flat.
The syndicate had established a sophisticated network, smuggling heroin from Afghanistan and Iran into India, and laundering proceeds through companies like Sandhu Exports. The investigation highlights the role of these accused in coordinating the movement, storage, and distribution of drugs through India’s vast illicit drug market. The ED's crackdown comes as part of a broader initiative to curb money laundering activities and dismantle organized crime networks involved in narcotics trafficking.