The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids at multiple locations in Mirzapur’s Lalganj area and detained two suspected cannabis traffickers as part of a money-laundering probe linked to nearly ₹200 crore in suspicious bank transactions. The duo were later taken to Prayagraj for detailed questioning.
Acting early in the morning, central agency teams accompanied by a heavy police contingent searched premises in Baraundha Bazaar and Hathiyabandh village. During the operation, officials seized bank documents, transaction records and other financial papers. Preliminary scrutiny indicates large cash deposits, layered transfers and other irregular financial activity, which investigators are examining from a proceeds-of-crime and laundering perspective.
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Prior NDPS links surface
According to investigators, Ramvilas alias Banarasi Gupta of Baraundha Bazaar and Abdul Bari of Hathiyabandh village had previously been named in cannabis trafficking cases. Their names reportedly surfaced in a seizure of around 10 quintals of cannabis in Chhattisgarh about three years ago, where a case was registered. Local police records also show an NDPS case against both dating back to 2013 at Lalganj police station.
Officials said the two had been absconding for a considerable period, and fresh financial intelligence triggered the ED’s action.
Hawala angle and money trail under probe
ED teams examined accounts at a local branch of Indian Bank to analyse transaction patterns. Investigators suspect that the accounts may have been used to route proceeds linked to drug trafficking through banking channels, potentially involving hawala operations, shell entities and layered beneficiary accounts. Efforts are underway to identify associates, front accounts and any corporate structures used to disguise the origin of funds.
Eight-hour interrogation, digital evidence seized
Both suspects were questioned for nearly eight hours during the search. Digital devices and financial records have been taken for forensic analysis. After the on-site operation concluded around mid-afternoon, the ED team transported the detainees to Prayagraj for further legal proceedings and custodial interrogation.
Indications of an organised inter-state network
Agencies believe the case may extend beyond local trafficking and point to a wider inter-state drug supply chain with a structured financial network. The Chhattisgarh connection, earlier NDPS records and the scale of banking transactions suggest an organised operation rather than isolated activity.
Next steps: asset tracing and possible attachments
The ED is now working to trace assets allegedly acquired from illicit proceeds, freeze suspect bank accounts and map the full money trail. Action under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), including provisional attachment of properties, is likely if the proceeds are established to be linked to narcotics trafficking.
Officials said financial investigations into drug networks are being prioritised to dismantle the economic backbone of trafficking operations and prevent the recycling of illegal funds into the formal system.
About the author – Rehan Khan is a law student and legal journalist with a keen interest in cybercrime, digital fraud, and emerging technology laws. He writes on the intersection of law, cybersecurity, and online safety, focusing on developments that impact individuals and institutions in India.
