# ED Searches 11 Locations Across Maharashtra and Gujarat to Unravel International Drug Syndicate and Crypto Money Trail > The Enforcement Directorate conducted extensive PMLA raids across Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Surat, and Bhavnagar, cracking down on an international narcotics syndicate laundering illicit cash via foreign currency and crypto assets. **Type:** article · **Category:** Crime · **Published:** 2026-10-30 · **Source:** TrendKia **Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/crime/maharashtra-aura-gujarat-men-11-thikanon-para-ed-ki-bari-karravai-antararashtriya-draga-sindiketa-aura-kripto-netavarka-para-kasa--53587 · **Language:** English **Tags:** Enforcement Directorate, Money Laundering, PMLA, Narcotics Control Bureau, Cryptocurrency, Mumbai, Surat, Navin Chichkar The Enforcement Directorate has launched a coordinated enforcement crackdown against an international narcotics network, conducting simultaneous search operations across 11 locations in Maharashtra and Gujarat. The wide-ranging action was initiated under the statutory powers of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Officials stated that the primary objective of this coordinated enforcement drive was to dismantle the operational apparatus of the drug syndicate and systematically map out the financial trails derived from illicit substance sales. ## Extensive Searches Across Four Commercial Hubs The enforcement operations were planned and executed on Wednesday by the agency's Mumbai Zonal Unit. Raids were conducted at multiple sites across Mumbai and Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra, alongside commercial premises situated in Surat and Bhavnagar within Gujarat. Agency officials revealed that certain premises targeted during the drive belonged to cryptocurrency traders, where investigators specifically searched for financial evidence and digital records connecting virtual asset trades with cross-border drug transactions. During the course of the day-long operations, search teams confiscated an extensive cache of digital devices alongside evidentiary documentation. The recovered electronics included premium smartphones, portable laptop computers, and internal data storage devices. In addition to hardware, investigating officers gathered commercial books of accounts, ledgers detailing financial transactions, and investment portfolios to consolidate the ongoing money laundering investigation and build a comprehensive paper trail. ## Syndicate Led by Navin and Dhiraj Chichkar The agency alleged that the overarching narcotics syndicate was directed and supervised by two individuals, identified as Navin Chichkar and Dhiraj Chichkar, alongside their network of close associates. The searches formed a vital part of ongoing procedural measures designed to identify hidden assets and unearth the precise mechanisms deployed to conceal proceeds generated by unlawful drug commerce. Officials noted that the inquiry is structured around unpacking the organisational hierarchy of the syndicate as well as its covert monetary conduits. This money laundering inquiry was initiated following a formal complaint registered by the Mumbai zonal office of the Narcotics Control Bureau under relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. That initial narcotics case originated after significant contraband seizures in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. Confiscated consignments in that operation featured high-potency hydroponic cannabis, cocaine, and substantial volumes of unaccounted paper cash, prompting the financial probe. ## International Trafficking of High-End Narcotics Investigators stated that the suspects maintained a deeply entrenched international arrangement for procuring and distributing prohibited narcotics. The distribution catalog of the syndicate centered around premium cocaine, hydroponic cannabis, LSD, and diverse cannabis-infused edibles. Agency officials emphasized that a major portion of these illicit substances was acquired from supply points located outside India, highlighting a persistent cross-border supply chain that fed domestic consumption markets. The agency also exposed the systematic layering techniques used to push illicit funds into the formal banking environment. Revenues originating from illegal drug sales were collected predominantly in hard cash before being routed through intermediate channels to mask their criminal origins and give them the appearance of legal revenue. Cash receipts generated through narcotics transactions were systematically processed and converted into prominent foreign currencies, primarily the US dollar and the Thai baht. ## Legitimate Businesses and Offshore Crypto Wallets Beyond foreign exchange conversions, a portion of the illicit cash flow was channeled directly into selected lawful commercial enterprises to launder the capital into seemingly legitimate working balances. Concurrently, searches focused on cryptocurrency traders yielded data regarding crypto wallets and associated digital holdings. The agency noted that these virtual assets appeared, on preliminary evaluation, to be directly tethered to the proceeds of narcotics crimes. Officials stated that suspected figures connected to the syndicate were actively operating multiple cryptocurrency trading profiles from locations outside Indian territory. Dedicated investigative personnel are currently examining the recovered digital wallet addresses to map linked trading accounts and trace complete historical transaction chains. The Enforcement Directorate emphasized that the broader goal remains the identification and formal attachment of all proceeds of crime, confirming that deeper investigative measures are currently underway. ## What this means for you This enforcement action strikes at the financial mechanisms used by cross-border narcotics networks to integrate dirty money via crypto assets and shell trade. - **Across India:** Law enforcement and financial intelligence bodies will intensify oversight on peer-to-peer cryptocurrency trades and off-the-books cash movements. Regular businesses must exercise heightened due diligence when accepting untraced third-party capital to avoid anti-money laundering scrutiny. - **In Maharashtra and Gujarat:** Commercial entities and digital asset brokers across Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Surat, and Bhavnagar will face closer regulatory examination. Local enterprises should maintain meticulous transaction records and verified customer identification to prevent inadvertent exposure to illicit financial flows. - **For Crypto Traders:** Scrutiny over offshore trading accounts and unhosted digital wallets linked to domestic users is set to climb sharply. Traders should rely strictly on compliant domestic exchanges and preserve verified audit trails for all past crypto conversions. - **Banking and Financial Vigilance:** Banks and foreign exchange dealers are expected to tighten verification protocols for high-value cash conversions into foreign currencies like US dollars and Thai baht. Financial institutions will expedite reporting of suspicious structural layering to regulatory watchdogs. ## Why this happened The multi-city search operation was triggered by substantial narcotics confiscations by the Narcotics Control Bureau, which exposed an elaborate international illicit financing apparatus. - **Initial Narcotics Seizure:** The Mumbai unit of the Narcotics Control Bureau conducted raids in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai that yielded high-grade hydroponic cannabis, cocaine, and large cash volumes. Those seizures led to a formal case under the NDPS Act, forming the predicate offense required for the Enforcement Directorate to act. - **Financial Layering and Foreign Exchange:** The syndicate collected retail drug profits in cash before laundering the proceeds through real businesses and foreign currencies, notably the US dollar and Thai baht. These multilayered steps were engineered to disguise the illicit origin of the narcotics revenue. - **Offshore Crypto Trading:** Investigators discovered that syndicate associates utilized offshore cryptocurrency trading accounts and private digital wallets to move money seamlessly across borders. The deployment of virtual digital assets necessitated targeted raids on crypto dealers across the two western states. - **Asset Recovery Mandate:** Under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, the agency is legally mandated to identify, trace, and attach proceeds of crime to deny syndicates their financial leverage. Uncovering the financial ledgers and hardware was an essential precursor to formal property attachment proceedings. ## Questions & Answers ### 1. Which cities were covered in the Enforcement Directorate search operations? The agency searched 11 locations across Mumbai and Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra, alongside Surat and Bhavnagar in Gujarat. ### 2. What was the primary goal of the PMLA searches? The operation aimed to break down an international drug syndicate and track down proceeds of crime generated from narcotics sales. ### 3. Who is alleged to be heading this narcotics syndicate? According to the agency, the syndicate was operated by Navin Chichkar and Dhiraj Chichkar along with their associates. ### 4. What items were seized during the multi-city raids? Officials confiscated high-end smartphones, laptops, internal storage media, commercial account books, financial ledgers, and investment records. ### 5. How was the illicit drug money laundered by the accused? The syndicate converted cash into US dollars and Thai baht, funneled funds into legitimate enterprises, and operated offshore crypto accounts. ### 6. What original complaint sparked this money laundering investigation? The probe stems from an NCB Mumbai case filed under the NDPS Act following seizures of hydroponic cannabis, cocaine, and unaccounted cash. --- _TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.. Machine-readable view; canonical HTML at the URL above._