The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has uncovered an extensive interstate drug trafficking network linked to individuals in Tripura, conducting raids across the state as part of an ongoing investigation, officials reported on Saturday. The network facilitated the distribution of narcotics, including ganja (marijuana) and phensidyl, to states like Assam, Bihar, and beyond.
On Friday, ED officials carried out coordinated search operations in multiple Tripura locations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The investigation stems from several FIRs filed by Tripura Police under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, against suspects including Kamini Debbarma, Bishu Tripura, Aup Ranjan Das, and others involved in narcotics trafficking.
According to an ED statement, the accused maintained a sophisticated interstate network to traffic drugs across various regions in India. The probe also revealed that proceeds of crime (POC) from the illicit trade were laundered through hawala channels and benami accounts, later invested in movable and immovable properties under proxy ownership.
During the raids, investigators seized approximately 66 kilograms of high-quality ganja, financial records, details of benami properties, and electronic devices indicating significant POC generation.
The operation also implicated a Tripura Police Assistant Sub-Inspector, Dhruba Majumdar, who is currently posted in the Crime Branch under the Superintendent of Police, South Tripura district. The state police are considering legal and administrative action against him.
Additionally, ED officials summoned and questioned several Tripura Gramin Bank officials in connection with the case.
This marks the first major crackdown by the ED in Tripura targeting key figures in drug trafficking. The state is a significant producer of ganja and a transit corridor for synthetic drugs, including methamphetamine tablets. Further investigations are ongoing.
