Cross-border drug smuggling racket: ED arrests drug lord Akshay Chhabra in a PMLA case
Ludhiana-based drug lord Akshay Chhabra was detained under PIT-NDPS Act by NCB in Aug last year and sent to Dibrugarh jail
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Ludhiana-based drug lord Akshay Chhabra, who was lodged in Assam’s Dibrugarh jail, for further investigation into the money trail involving cross-border drug smuggling racket.
The federal agency took him into its custody till April 7 based on an investigation being carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
In November 2022, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) arrested Chhabra along with two Afghan nationals for allegedly smuggling 2,000kg heroin into Punjab in connivance with Dubai-based drug smuggler Haji Yusuf.
The NCB had on August 17 detained two smugglers —Chhabra and Jaspal Singh, alias Goldy — lodged in Bathinda jail under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PIT-NDPS) (PIT-NDPS) Act and sent them to Dibrugarh jail.
Based on NCB’s investigation, the ED had initiated a detailed probe into the matter in March 2023 and carried out multiple raids on the premises owned by top-notch realtors and liquor barons as both ED and NCB suspected Chhabra of investing drug money into real estate and liquor companies.
In January last year, the ED grilled AAP’s Mohali MLA Mohali Kulwant Singh for nearly seven hours following alleged investments by Chhabra in his real estate company.
In November 2023, the federal agency confiscated unaccounted cash worth ₹4.5 crore during raids at 25 locations, including the residence of Kulwant Singh and other locations belonging to Chhabra and his associates in Ludhiana, Mohali, Chandigarh, Amritsar and Jalandhar in Punjab and Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan, under the PMLA following money trail in illegal drug trade case. Several digital devices and various incriminating documents related to money trail and property transactions were also then recovered and seized by ED.
Used to smuggle drugs concealed in tomato puree, juices
The ED through APS Pathania, special public prosecutor, for ED-Jalandhar Zone along with Vinit, assistant director of ED, presented the details of the investigation so far before the special PMLA court in Jalandhar on April 2.
ED investigations revealed that Chhabra along with his two Afghan accomplices used to import morphine/raw heroin concealed in the import consignments of pomegranate juice/tomato puree from Afghanistan through firms namely M/s Verma International and M/s Adishankar Enterprises Pvt. Ltd., both being fake and shell firms.
Chhabra further distributed processed heroin to various drug dealers with the assistance of his various accomplices.
“Chhabra generated huge proceeds of crime out of the said illegal drug trade and the said proceeds were utilised by him for purchasing various movable/immovable properties in his name and in the name of his accomplices. Chhabra further used the proceeds of crime and credits from shell entities by investing in cash in a liquor business run by M/s A. S. & Company,” the ED investigation revealed.
It further added that the accused was helped by Afghan nationals and one Gurmail Singh alias Garry and Harpreet Singh were also involved, whereas the statement of Garry had already been recorded under section 50 of PMLA, who has also nominated Chhabra as kingpin of the racket.
“The drugs were supplied by Akshay Kumar Chhabra through Gurmail Singh alias Garry and cash amount to the tune of Indian Currency of ₹150 to 180 crores were involved in this drug trade racket,” said an ED.
Meteoric rise
NCB investigations have revealed that Chhabra, who used to work in a chemist shop in Ludhiana, became a drug kingpin in three years.
Son of a tea vendor, Chhabra had connections with not only drug peddlers, including Dubai-based Haji Yusuf but companies who managed to procure contraband for him through three channels — via Jammu Kashmir, Delhi and Mundra Port, Gujarat.
NCB investigation revealed that after procuring the raw material from across the border, he used to make synthetic heroin at two laboratories located in Ludhiana.
During the investigation, the NCB found that Chhabra had 49 high-end properties across Punjab.
Following his arrest by the NCB, Chhabra disclosed that between 2020 to 2022, he had delivered around 2,000 kg of heroin, received from Haji Yusuf, and earned around ₹60 crore.