Illegal Sand Trade Bust: Maharashtra's Underground Economy Under Siege

The Enforcement Directorate conducted raids on business premises in Nagpur, Maharashtra, linked to a 2022 illegal sand transportation case. The raids, targeting businessmen allegedly involved in evading royalties and money laundering, spanned multiple areas. Despite prior summons, non-cooperation from suspects led to extensive searches.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) launched a series of raids on Friday targeting business hubs in Nagpur, Maharashtra, in connection to an illegal sand transportation case from 2022.

Authorities are examining potential money laundering activities in line with a police case from four years ago. A massive operation involving 10 ED teams initiated at dawn, targeting businessmen in Saoner, Khapa, and Patansawangi.

This crackdown focuses on alleged irregularities in sand sales, evading government royalties. Despite the ED not disclosing seizures, insiders note that the agency moved to raids following poor cooperation from suspects during previous probes.

(With inputs from agencies.)