New Delhi

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday carried out searches at several locations in Delhi as part of its ongoing money laundering investigation linked to the massive 2021 drug seizure at Gujarat’s Mundra port, officials said.

According to sources, the agency conducted raids at five premises in the national capital under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The locations include properties associated with businessman Harpreet Singh Talwar, also known as Kabir Talwar, along with individuals identified as Shamshudeen and others.

Talwar, known for operating a number of prominent nightclubs in Delhi, was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in August 2022 in connection with the case. He was recently released after securing bail from the Gujarat High Court.

The case stems from one of the largest narcotics seizures globally, when the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) intercepted 2,988.21 kilograms of heroin at Mundra port in September 2021. The narcotics, allegedly originating from Afghanistan and routed through Iran, were estimated to be worth around ₹21,000 crore in the international illicit drug market.

The ED initiated its money laundering probe later that year. Officials said the latest searches were based on fresh intelligence inputs suggesting that proceeds generated through the drug trafficking network may have been channelled into investments in Delhi-based nightlife establishments.

Investigators are examining financial transactions and asset holdings to determine whether funds linked to the narcotics trade were laundered through legitimate businesses.

In its chargesheet, the NIA had alleged that profits from the drug network were used to support activities of the Pakistan-based banned terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

The agency had further stated that the heroin consignment was allegedly smuggled into India under the cover of a legitimate import shipment declared as semi-processed talc stones, a material commonly used in various industries.

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The investigation into the financial trail and wider network connected to the seizure remains ongoing.