ED Conducts Searches in Areca Nut Smuggling Case

Guwahati: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches at 16 premises across Guwahati, Siliguri, Bagdogra, Phansidewa and Cooch Behar on October 1 in an alleged foreign-origin areca nut smuggling and money laundering case. The searches were carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), based on FIRs registered by Assam and West Bengal Police.

The ED said an organised network allegedly smuggled areca nuts from Myanmar through Mizoram, Assam and West Bengal to markets in several states. The agency alleged that forged GST invoices, e-way bills and transport documents were used to show the foreign-origin produce as Indian. Shell firms and bank accounts were allegedly used to facilitate the transactions, while consignments were reportedly stored, re-bagged and re-documented in Silchar and Guwahati before being transported further.