Mizoram: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on June 4 conducted searches at multiple locations in Mizoram as part of a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged cross-border areca nut smuggling racket, officials said.
According to the agency, raids were carried out at around nine locations associated with key facilitators of the alleged smuggling network operating along the Champhai border, which shares a boundary with Myanmar.
Officials said the investigation is focused on what they described as a highly organised network involved in the large-scale smuggling of Myanmar-origin areca nuts, commonly known as Burmese supari, into India.
The ED alleged that the accused illegally transported areca nuts across the Tiau River and stored them in local warehouses before distributing them through fraudulent documentation. Investigators claimed the network used forged documents and fake billing practices to pass off the smuggled consignments as legitimate local purchases.
According to the agency, the operation generated substantial illicit proceeds, which were subsequently layered and routed through various channels to conceal their origin.
The central probe agency further alleged that some individuals exploited their local tribal status by acting as front claimants before customs authorities. They are accused of using fabricated import-related documents to secure the release of seized consignments.
The searches were conducted under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), and officials said the investigation is ongoing. Further details are expected after the examination of documents and materials seized during the raids.
