Politics
ED maps drugs-for-goods trail after 38 raids
Hindustan Times·
The Enforcement Directorate said Myanmar drug suppliers are paid with fuel, flour, oil, groceries, medicines, footwear and clothing instead of cash. The finding followed October 23 Operation Trident raids at 38 sites in Assam, Mizoram and Manipur. Agencies reported Rs 100 crore hawala deals and 1,424 frozen accounts. They cited Rs 22 crore attached property, 500 detonators and 18 arrests.
Prism
What It Means For You
- Banking customers in the listed states may see more freezes where accounts sit in the mule lists.
- Traders issuing GST invoices for fuel and groceries in border towns face higher scrutiny on buyers.
- The cross-border leg moves as goods, so cash trail checks stop at the Indian invoice step.
What's Happening
- ED said drug cash is placed via mini-ATM or CSP counters and mule accounts, then paid to genuine suppliers.
- Suppliers raise GST invoices and e-way bills to a different buyer than the person who collects goods.
- Union home minister Amit Shah called the October action a lethal blow against drugs.
Five Steps ED Described
- Drugs sell for cash in Manipur and Mizoram towns such as Churachandpur and Champhai.
- Cash enters banks, then moves by RTGS or NEFT to supplier accounts in several states.
- Goods ship to Aizawl or border towns and cross into Myanmar for kyat settlement.
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