New Delhi, March 25 The Enforcement Directorate said on Wednesday that it has filed a chargesheet against certain nationals of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India as part of an investigation into money laundering related to a 2019 case involving the smuggling of over 580 kg of heroin along the Attari-Wagah international border crossing in Punjab.
The prosecution complaint (chargesheet) was filed before a special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Mohali on Monday, the federal investigation agency said in a statement.
The ED said its investigation found that 890 kg of heroin and 52 kg of mixed narcotics were smuggled from Pakistan to the Land Customs Station (LCS) at Attari in Amritsar in June 2019, by concealing the contraband in imported bags of light pink rock salt.
A total of 18 entities have been named as accused, including nationals of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India. The total heroin consignment weighed 584 kg, it said.
Pakistani and Afghan "conspirators" named Sahil, Shoaib Noor, and Amir Noor exported these drugs, which were marked with a cross or designated numbers, according to the agency.
The drugs trafficking was carried out using the hawala (illegal movement of cash funds) route, and the consignment was stored in temporary godowns and subsequently transported to a warehouse where "habitual" narcotics dealers like Ranjit Singh alias Rana and Iqbal Singh received the drugs, the ED said.
The Indian accused, including Ranjit Singh's brother Sarwan Singh, utilised the formal banking system to launder the illicit cash by depositing the funds into various bank accounts and subsequently created movable and immovable assets, it said.
Assets worth Rs 3.61 crore of the accused Indians were attached by the agency earlier.