ED Seizes Crores in Cash and Jewellery in Massive Drug Bust

The Enforcement Directorate seized cash and jewellery worth Rs 2 crore in connection with a drug trafficking case involving Raees Ahmed Bhat and others. The case revolves around illegal sales of Codeine-Based Cough Syrup. The raids took place across various Indian regions, uncovering extensive illicit monetary gains.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) announced on Monday the seizure of cash and jewellery valued at Rs 2 crore. This was part of an operation targeting individuals implicated in a drug trafficking case by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). The raids were carried out in the northern states and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

On February 13, raids were conducted in Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, and Haryana in connection with Raees Ahmed Bhat and his associates. They are suspected of unauthorized sales of Codeine-Based Cough Syrup (CBCS), a drug widely abused as an intoxicant. The probe follows an NCB complaint regarding CBCS trafficking.

Cough syrup brand Cocrex, unlawfully sourced from Vidit Healthcare, was allegedly sold via shell companies. The investigation uncovered that between 2018-2024, Kansal Industries, among others, procured the syrup in a manner violating legal requirements. The ED's probe indicates the diversion of 55 lakh CBCS bottles worth over Rs 20 crore. The investigation revealed extensive criminal proceeds involving cash deposits and bank transactions.