ED Searches 11 Premises in Gujarat, Maharashtra in Drug Syndicate-Linked Money Laundering Case

Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday conducted searches at 11 locations across Mumbai and Gujarat as part of a money laundering investigation linked to jailed drug smuggler Navin Chichkar.

Chichkar is suspected of generating proceeds from the sale of cocaine, hydroponic cannabis, LSD and cannabis-infused edibles, and routing the money overseas through hawala networks and cryptocurrency transactions. The ED investigation is based on cases registered by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Navi Mumbai Police’s Anti-Narcotics Cell, and focuses on Chichkar’s financial dealings and alleged associates.

The case came to light after the NCB intercepted an Australia-bound parcel at Mumbai airport in January 2025. The parcel allegedly contained 200 grams of cocaine of South American origin concealed inside a projector, leading investigators to Chichkar.

In May 2025, Chichkar was deported from Malaysia and arrested. His brother, Dheeraj, was also arrested in the case after returning to India from Malaysia.

In April 2025, their father, builder Gurunath Chichkar, 50, died by suicide after shooting himself in his office in Belapur. He had reportedly cited mental stress and harassment over repeated summons issued by the NCB and police in connection with the alleged involvement of his two sons in the drug case.

During its investigation, the ED reportedly found cryptocurrency investments and suspected that drug proceeds were routed through hawala operators. These operators allegedly transferred payments to Chichkar in USDT, a stablecoin pegged to the US dollar, or Thai baht.

Wednesday’s searches were aimed at tracing the alleged proceeds of crime and investigating how the funds were subsequently diverted and layered to conceal their origins.

The investigation has also pointed to a suspected international drug trafficking syndicate allegedly sourcing cocaine from the US for distribution in India and overseas markets. A clearing house agent and hawala operators are suspected of facilitating the network’s operations. DeshGujarat