ED conducts raids in several areas of West Bengal over sand smuggling racket
Kolkata (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday started simultaneous raids at various places in West Bengal, targeting individuals and businesses found to be allegedly involved in a sand smuggling racket, a senior official said.
ED teams raided offices in Kolkata’s Bentinck Street area, Lalgarh and Gopiballavpur in Jhargram district, while another search operation was conducted at the residence of a businessman in Asansol in Paschim Bardhaman district, he said.
"These raids are part of our investigation into illegal sand mining. The ED operations started from early morning,” the official said.
The ED sleuths are combing through business records, financial documents, and properties linked to the racket, he said.
The residence of a sand trader in Murugashol under the jurisdiction of Asansol South police station, is being searched as part of the probe, the ED official said.
The businessman is accused of operating sand quarries across multiple districts and engaging in financial transactions worth crores of rupees, he said.
"Allegations against him also include financial irregularities in government-owned sand ghats and illegal money laundering," he said.
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Banned tobacco products seized in Ulhasnagar, one arrested
Thane (PTI): Police have arrested a 26-year-old man and seized banned tobacco products valued at more than Rs 5 lakh following a raid in the Ulhasnagar area of Thane district, an official said on Saturday.
The operation was conducted on the premises late Wednesday night near Shahad gate, based on a complaint filed by officials from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a police officer said, adding that a police team found a large consignment of contraband from different brands, stocked for illegal sale.
The arrested accused has been identified as Arbaz Nasir Khan (26). Two other suspects have been named as wanted in the case, and a hunt has been launched to nab them.
The seized tobacco products are valued at approximately Rs 5,05,658.
An FIR has been registered at the Ulhasnagar police station under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with relevant provisions of FDA regulations.
