ED arrests two accused linked to ‘drug trafficker’ Salim Dola’s syndicate

MUMBAI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested two accused, Brijesh Moradiya and Pravin alias Nagesh Shinde, as part of its probe into the alleged transnational narcotics-trafficking syndicate operated by narcotics trafficker Salim Ismail Dola and his associates

MUMBAI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested two accused, Brijesh Moradiya and Pravin alias Nagesh Shinde, as part of its probe into the alleged transnational narcotics-trafficking syndicate operated by narcotics trafficker Salim Ismail Dola and his associates. Dola was extradited from Turkey by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in April this year.

ED officials on Friday said that Shinde was involved in the clandestine manufacturing of psychotropic drug Mephedrone (MD) and its handling, possession and utilisation as well as the movement of the proceeds derived from the illicit sales. The latter were allegedly used to acquire immovable properties and other assets in the names of persons closely associated with Shinde.

The officials said that Moradiya was involved in the procurement and supply of the precursor chemical used to manufacture MD. The cash that he allegedly received from Dola via hawala for the procurement was deposited in his bank account and then routed through multiple third-party and family accounts and entities controlled by him and his associates.

The funds were later transferred to multiple chemical companies, thereby facilitating procurement of the precursor chemical. Funds in these transactions were received by Moradiya in his other bank accounts ostensibly as commission from the sale of chemicals and these were thereafter further transferred.

The investigation so far has revealed the existence of an organised transnational criminal network engaged in the procurement of precursor chemicals, clandestine manufacture of MD, inter-state transportation and distribution of narcotic drugs and international trafficking of narcotic substances. It has also revealed the alleged collection and layering of the proceeds of crime (POC) through hawala channels and acquisition of movable and immovable assets in the names of associates and other persons.

The ED had on June 2 and 3 conducted search operations at 21 locations across Mumbai, and Gujarat’s Surat, Ankleshwar and Rajkot to cover the entire spectrum of the Dola network. The searches had targeted end-to-end nodes of the syndicate, including precursor chemical suppliers, chemical traders, manufactures/distributors of MD, hawala operators and persons holding benami properties worth crores of rupees acquired from the POC generated through the drug syndicate.

The searches had resulted in the seizure and freezing of cash, foreign currency, gold bars, and bank balances valued at ₹1.33 crore, along with USD 2,200. Documents relating to expensive immovable properties located in India and Dubai were recovered as well, indicating substantial investments made from the proceeds of the drug syndicate.