Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Aizawl Sub-Zonal Office, has conducted search operations under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 on 08.06.2026 at four locations across Tripura, West Bengal and Mizoram, in connection with an ongoing money laundering investigation arising out of a major cross-border drug-trafficking case.
ED initiated the investigation on the basis of the predicate offence registered by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Agartala Zonal Unit, in Case No. 07/2025 under the NDPS Act, 1985. The NCB case pertains to the interception of a vehicle convoy along NH-06A in Mizoram on 21.08.2025, which led to the seizure of 49.101 Kg of methamphetamine tablets and 40 grams of heroin, and the arrest of eight persons. The offences under Sections 21, 22 and 29 of the NDPS Act are scheduled offences under the PMLA, 2002.
Investigation conducted by ED has revealed an organized interstate and cross-border syndicate that sourced Methamphetamine from Myanmar-based suppliers, smuggled the contraband into India through the Champhai/Zokhawthar sector of Mizoram, and routed it towards receivers based in Tripura. The Proceeds of Crime so generated were layered and integrated through a web of bank accounts held by Myanmar-resident individuals using border addresses and through shell/conduit entities, in addition to the use of cash and hawala channels, so as to obscure the origin and ultimate beneficiaries of the funds. Suspect credits aggregating to over Rs. 142 Crore have been identified so far. The main Myanmar-based supplier of the contraband, Chintuang @ Tluanga, and a chief transportation facilitator Jabrul Haque, have already been arrested by the NCB.
The searches conducted on 08.06.2026 covered the residential and official premises of four key persons and entities linked to the syndicate, namely Anowar Hossain @ Suman Mia @ Crorepati Suman and Jashim Mia (both of Sonamura, Sepahijala, Tripura), identified as the ultimate receivers of the seized consignment; Smt. Hmingthansangi (Zokhawthar, Mizoram), in whose bank account suspect credits of over Rs. 33 Crore were detected; and Smt. Chaitali Das, Proprietor of M/s Riju Enterprises (North 24 Parganas, West Bengal), a proprietary concern suspected to have been used to route the Proceeds of Crime. During the searches, more than 25 CCTV cameras, all of them mounted on trees, covering forest areas surrounding the houses of Suman Mia and Jashim Mia along the barbed wire fencing of the international borders with Bangladesh were found. Dog squad was also employed to find contraband articles during the search action. While the residences of Suman Mia and Jashim Mia were right on the Indo-Bangladesh border, the location in Zokhawthar was less than 500 m from the Myanmar Border. Support of CRPF as well as BSF was sought during the search. During the search, incriminating documents, digital devices and other material evidence relevant to the investigation were found and seized.
Further investigation in the matter is in progress.
