ED arrests one accused in case linked to drug trafficking

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested an accused person under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, in connection with an international drug-trafficking case being probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The syndicate was allegedly involved in large-scale import of heroin by concealing it in semi-processed talc stone consignments.

The ED has secured five-day custody of the accused, Gaurav Dawar, who was also allegedly linked to narcotics seizures across Delhi, Punjab, and Haryana.

The NIA, which has registered the case against Harpreet Singh Talwar and others, had earlier filed six chargesheets and accused several persons of conspiring with an international drug smuggling syndicate operating from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Dubai in the UAE.

The network operated under the “mastermind Vitaysh Koser alias Raju Dubai, a wanted accused, along with Pakistani ISI agents and Afghan nationals”. The NIA found that ₹74 crore generated from the illegal sale of narcotic drugs had been transferred via ‘hawala’ to Afghanistan. and used for funding terrorist activities.

“The ED investigation has revealed generation of proceeds of crime totalling ₹89 crore through contraband smuggling, distribution of drug proceeds, and ‘hawala’ operation, including the aforesaid ‘hawala’ of the ₹74 crore initially quantified by the NIA. Further investigation is under progress to identify additional proceeds of crime generated in this process,” the ED said on Tuesday.

“Investigation further revealed that Gaurav Dawar along with co-accused Harpreet Singh Talwar received remuneration in kind and ‘hawala’ for facilitating smuggling of narcotics consignments sent by the international drug syndicate,” it said.

The remuneration in kind received from the mastermind by the alleged conspirators included prohibited items such as ‘Gudangaram Cigarettes’, ‘beetel nut’, dry dates, perfumes, etc. Besides, Mr. Dawar allegedly received cash in AED (UAE dirhams) directly from Mr. Koser multiple times when he visited Dubai.

According to the ED, the drug proceeds were systematically layered and integrated into commercial hospitality ventures, night clubs, and luxury assets. Mr. Dawar allegedly made cash investments in Delhi-based night clubs named ‘Play Boy Club’ and ‘White Club’, operated through the entity Newera Feast and Hospitality Private Limited, along with the co accused, the agency said.