Archive · 4 Sep 2026
ED Searches 30 Locations Across Four States Over Drug Money
India’s Enforcement Directorate searched 30 places in four southern states.
The searches are connected to investigations into alleged illegal drug trafficking.
The drugs mentioned include methamphetamine, ganja, hashish oil and MDMA.
Officials want to find out how money from the alleged drug sales was collected and moved.
They are checking bank accounts, cash, digital payments and hawala transactions.
They are also examining property, gold loans, vehicles and other assets.
The cases involve alleged networks in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana and Kerala.
The searches may help investigators identify more people and assets connected to the suspected crimes.
The Enforcement Directorate searched 30 locations across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Telangana under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
The probe covers alleged trafficking of methamphetamine, ganja, hashish oil and MDMA in multiple narcotics cases.
Investigators are tracing suspected proceeds through hawala networks, bank accounts, digital payments, gold loans, properties and vehicles.
Tamil Nadu cases include methamphetamine seizures of 1.47 kg, 5.97 kg and 56.6 kg, as well as other alleged drug-linked assets.
Karnataka, Telangana and Kerala searches target alleged drug networks and financial trails involving hashish oil, ganja, hybrid ganja and MDMA.
- Who
- The Enforcement Directorate, drawing on narcotics cases investigated by the Narcotics Control Bureau and state police, is examining alleged drug-trafficking networks and their associates.
- What
- Officials conducted searches under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act to trace suspected proceeds of narcotics trafficking.
- When
- The searches were carried out on Thursday; the articles do not specify the calendar date. The underlying cases and seizures date from December 2023 through April 2025.
- Where
- Thirty locations across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Telangana, including areas in Chennai, Ramanathapuram, Tirunelveli, Nagapattinam, Kolar, Hyderabad and Kochi.
- Why
- Investigators are seeking to establish drug-money trails, identify assets allegedly acquired with crime proceeds and determine who received, transferred, concealed or invested the money.
- Searches
- 30 locations across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Telangana
- Legal basis
- Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002
- Drugs involved
- Methamphetamine, ganja, hybrid ganja, hashish oil and MDMA
- Tamil Nadu seizures
- Separate investigations cited methamphetamine seizures of 1.470 kg, 5.970 kg and 56.600 kg, along with other recoveries
- Karnataka financial trail
- More than Rs 5.15 crore was credited across six bank accounts linked to Mruthyunjaya and his wife; investigators also identified eight immovable properties
- Telangana recoveries
- Around 53.5 kg of ganja and Rs 67.35 lakh in unaccounted cash were seized across three police actions
- Kerala MDMA case
- Ligiesh was intercepted with 949.26 grams of MDMA estimated to be worth around Rs 50 lakh
