Agartala, Mar 31: In a significant crackdown on drug-linked money laundering in Tripura, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Agartala Sub-Zonal Office, has filed three Prosecution Complaints before the Special Court (PMLA), West Tripura, against 14 accused persons in connection with narcotic smuggling and trafficking cases.

According to an official press release, the complaints were filed under Sections 44 and 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, and are linked to offences registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.

The cases involve laundering of proceeds generated from organised drug trafficking operations in the state, the ED said.

In one case, ED initiated investigation based on an FIR registered by Jirania Police Station against Litan Saha and others. Tripura Police had earlier filed a charge sheet in the matter. ED investigation revealed that Litan Saha was allegedly involved in trafficking codeine-based cough syrup, including 9,590 bottles seized by the police, which were reportedly being transported using his logistics firm M/s Swastik Roadways.

The agency further claimed that the proceeds were routed through multiple bank accounts under the guise of transport business.

In another case, ED began its probe against Debabrata Dey and others following two separate FIRs lodged by Tripura Police. One case involved the seizure of 1,352 kg of dry ganja in 2018 from Panisagar, while the other pertained to the recovery of 14,400 bottles of Phensedyl cough linctus in 2021 from Mungiakami. ED stated that Debabrata Dey and Apu Ranjan Das allegedly operated an organised inter-state drug network transporting ganja and other psychotropic substances from Tripura to Bihar and other states.

The ED also claimed that Dhruba Majumder, a serving police officer, was involved in the conspiracy and invested illegal proceeds in properties registered in his wife’s name. Several such assets have reportedly been attached by the agency.

In the third case, ED launched investigation against Bishu Kumar Tripura and others based on multiple FIRs related to ganja seizures in Melaghar and Bishalgarh, including the recovery of 243 kg, 3,390 kg, and later 66 kg of ganja from the prime accused’s residence during an ED search. Charge sheets were filed before the Special Court (NDPS) in Bishalgarh.

The ED described Bishu Kumar Tripura as a key organiser of a large-scale ganja trafficking network operating since 2015, allegedly in partnership with Kamini Debbarma. The agency claimed that the accused laundered proceeds through bank accounts of family members, mule accounts, hawala/hundi channels, investments in a brick industry, and acquisition of immovable properties.

ED further stated that another accused, Bikash Debbarma, admitted to knowingly allowing his bank accounts to be used for routing illegal funds.

Overall, the ED said it has frozen, seized, and provisionally attached movable and immovable assets worth around Rs 6.85 crore across the three cases. Further investigation is underway.