Rs 1 Crore Cash and Two Luxury Cars Seized in Major Crackdown on Human Trafficking Racket in Bengal
Rs 1 Crore Cash and Two Luxury Cars Seized in Major Crackdown on Human Trafficking Racket in Bengal
Siliguri, Nov 7 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) seized over Rs 1.01 crore in cash and two luxury cars during coordinated raids in West Bengal on Friday. The operation was part of a money laundering probe linked to an alleged organized human trafficking and prostitution network functioning in several bars and restaurants.
According to officials, simultaneous raids were carried out at eight locations in Bidhannagar, Kolkata, and Siliguri under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). During the searches, ED officers confiscated two high-end vehicles — a Land Rover Defender and a Jaguar — along with digital devices, property documents, and several bank accounts suspected to be used for laundering illicit funds.
Investigators also discovered “plastic notes” being circulated as currency inside certain dance bars to facilitate illegal transactions related to human trafficking and other criminal activities.
The case originated from multiple FIRs and chargesheets filed by the state police against key suspects identified as Jagjit Singh, Ajmal Siddiqui, Bishnu Mundra, and their associates. The investigation revealed that the accused lured women with false job offers and later coerced them into prostitution.
Officials stated that the illicit income from these operations was funneled through shell companies and various financial channels to disguise its origin. Several accounts and business entities linked to the accused have been traced as part of the ongoing financial probe.
The state police had earlier registered multiple cases against the suspects under different sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Arms Act, and the Immoral Traffic Prevention Act, 1986 — all of which fall within the jurisdiction of the PMLA, 2002.
Authorities confirmed that further investigation is underway to trace the complete money trail and identify any possible international connections involved in the racket.
NDTV
