ED raids underway at multiple places in TN as part of drug-related money laundering case involving ex-DMK member Jaffer Sadiq

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday conducted raids at various sites in Tamil Nadu as part of an investigation into drug-related money laundering involving former DMK member Jaffer Sadiq and others.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday conducted raids at various sites in Tamil Nadu as part of an investigation into drug-related money laundering involving former DMK member Jaffer Sadiq and others. The raids have been underway since early Tuesday, in the presence of the state police force.

The move comes a month after the ED registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case against Sadiq, who was earlier arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) for his alleged involvement in an international drug trafficking case. ED registered its case against Sadiq, a day after the NCB arrested him.

As per official sources, the financial fraud probe agency registered the case against the former DMK functionary after the NCB found Sadiq's links with some "high profile" people. Both the ED and the NCB are investigating in connection with two transactions of Rs 7 lakh made by Sadiq last year.

In its inquiry, the NCB found that Sadiq spearheaded the network that sourced pseudoephedrine in India and trafficked it to Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia under the guidance of food-grade cargo. Officials in NCB believe that the drug syndicate operated by Sadiq had sent 45 consignments over the past three years to various countries, containing approximately 3,500 kilograms of pseudoephedrine. (ANI)