ED probes drug money laundering in 30 South India raids

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted coordinated searches at 30 locations across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, and Kerala on Thursday, September 3, 2026, as part of a money laundering investigation linked to multiple narcotics trafficking cases. The operation, carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), is connected to the national Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan initiative aimed at creating a drug-free India. The searches targeted premises linked to suspects involved in various drug trafficking cases being investigated by regional law enforcement agencies and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). These investigations aim to trace and freeze proceeds of crime generated through illicit drug sales, with evidence suggesting the use of hawala networks, shell bank accounts, gold loans, and property acquisitions to launder funds. In Telangana, the ED focused on alleged ganja racket kingpin Neetu Bai, also known as the "Ganja Queen," and her family. Officials stated that Bai operates a highly organized, family-assisted drug syndicate that procures, stores, and sells bulk quantities of marijuana.