ED Conducts Searches at 11 Locations in Mumbai and Gujarat in ₹200 Crore International Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering Probe

The Enforcement Directorate is investigating an alleged international narcotics syndicate linked to Navin Chichkar. Investigators suspect that the network used hawala channels, cryptocurrency and coded communications to move drug-sale proceeds across borders. Searches reportedly yielded digital devices and materials that may provide further evidence of alleged money laundering.

Place: Mumbai, Maharashtra, and Gujarat
Date: October 29, 2026

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has conducted searches at 11 premises across Mumbai and Gujarat as part of its ongoing money-laundering investigation into an alleged international drug-trafficking network linked to Navin Chichkar. The action, carried out on Wednesday, October 28, forms part of a wider probe into the suspected movement, concealment and transfer of proceeds generated through the illegal sale of narcotic substances.

According to ED officials, the network is suspected of being involved in the distribution of several prohibited substances, including cocaine, hydroponic cannabis, LSD and cannabis-infused edible products. Investigators believe that some of these substances were smuggled into India from overseas markets, including the United States.

The latest searches focused on identifying the alleged proceeds of crime, tracing financial transactions and examining how money generated through the suspected drug trade was transferred or concealed. During the operation, officials reportedly recovered digital devices and other materials suspected of being connected to the alleged activities. The agency is examining these items to establish the possible financial links between the individuals under investigation.

₹200 crore worth of narcotics seized in Navi Mumbai

The investigation is linked to a major narcotics seizure made by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in January 2025. On January 31, the NCB’s Mumbai zonal unit reportedly recovered drugs collectively valued at approximately ₹200 crore from a flat in Navi Mumbai associated with an alleged operative of the network.

The seizure included around 11.54 kilograms of high-grade cocaine packed in 12 bricks, approximately 4.9 kilograms of hydroponic cannabis and 5.5 kilograms of cannabis gummies. Investigators said the substances had allegedly been smuggled into India from abroad, including the United States.

The seizure became a significant part of the investigation into the alleged international network and its suspected financial operations. Following the recovery, law enforcement agencies began examining the people allegedly connected to the operation, the sources of the narcotics and the channels through which the drugs were distributed.

The ED subsequently initiated its money-laundering investigation based on cases registered by the NCB’s Mumbai unit, the Mumbai Police Anti-Narcotics Cell and the Navi Mumbai Police. These cases reportedly involved the seizure of substantial quantities of cocaine, hydroponic cannabis and unaccounted cash.

Navin Chichkar’s alleged role under investigation

Navin Chichkar is among the individuals being investigated in connection with the alleged syndicate. According to officials, the NCB secured his deportation from Malaysia in May 2025 after he was reportedly intercepted there in connection with a pending Interpol Red Corner Notice.

A special court dealing with cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act had also reportedly issued a non-bailable warrant against him in connection with the cocaine seizure case.

In June 2026, the NCB’s Mumbai unit secured his preventive detention in a prison in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Authorities have continued investigating the alleged network and its financial connections following the seizure and subsequent action against individuals suspected of being involved.

The ED’s current investigation is focused particularly on the alleged proceeds generated by the drug trade and the methods through which those funds were transferred, invested or concealed.

Educated professionals allegedly part of the syndicate

One of the notable findings reported by investigators is the alleged involvement of educated professionals in the network. According to officials, the syndicate reportedly included individuals with engineering qualifications and postgraduate degrees from foreign universities.

Investigators suspect that the network operated through a carefully controlled communication structure in which members received information on a need-to-know basis. This arrangement allegedly limited the amount of information available to individual participants and made it more difficult for authorities to understand the entire operation.

Members reportedly used code words, encrypted instant-messaging applications and virtual telephone numbers to communicate with one another. Such methods are suspected to have been used to reduce the chances of detection by law enforcement agencies.

The ED is examining the digital evidence recovered during the latest searches to understand the communication patterns, identify potential links between suspects and determine whether these channels were used to coordinate financial transactions connected to the alleged drug trade.

Hawala and cryptocurrency transactions under scrutiny

A central aspect of the investigation concerns the alleged movement of drug-sale proceeds through hawala networks and cryptocurrency transactions.

According to ED officials, the agency’s investigation has indicated that the accused and their associates allegedly transferred money generated from drug sales outside India through informal hawala channels and cryptocurrency. Investigators are also examining the alleged use of cryptocurrency investments to hold or move funds associated with the suspected illegal activities.

The probe reportedly found that proceeds from the alleged drug trade were deposited with hawala operators, who allegedly arranged payments to Chichkar while he was abroad. These payments were reportedly made in USDT, a cryptocurrency commonly known as Tether, or in Thai baht.

The agency is examining financial records and other evidence to trace the movement of these funds, identify the individuals involved in the transactions and determine whether the money was subsequently used for investments or other purposes.

Cryptocurrency transactions and informal cross-border payment arrangements can create complex trails for investigators to follow, particularly when funds pass through multiple intermediaries or jurisdictions. The ED is therefore examining the available evidence to establish the source, movement and possible beneficiaries of the suspected proceeds of crime.

ED examines digital evidence and financial links

During the searches conducted on October 28, officials reportedly recovered several digital devices and materials suspected of containing evidence relevant to the alleged money-laundering operation.

Investigators are expected to analyse the seized material alongside financial records, communication data and information obtained from other agencies. The objective is to establish whether the suspected drug-sale proceeds were routed through multiple accounts, transferred overseas or converted into cryptocurrency to conceal their origin.

The agency is also examining the possible links between the alleged narcotics network and the financial intermediaries suspected of facilitating these transactions. The findings could help investigators determine the extent of the alleged money-laundering operation and identify other individuals who may have assisted in moving or concealing the funds.

The searches represent another stage in the broader investigation that began following the recovery of narcotics worth approximately ₹200 crore in Navi Mumbai in January 2025.

Investigation continues across multiple agencies

The case involves investigations by several law enforcement agencies, including the ED, the NCB, the Mumbai Police Anti-Narcotics Cell and the Navi Mumbai Police. While the narcotics-related cases focus on the alleged trafficking and seizure of prohibited substances, the ED is examining the financial activities suspected to be linked to the operation.

The latest searches in Mumbai and Gujarat are intended to help investigators trace the alleged proceeds of crime, examine financial records and identify possible connections between the suspects and the wider network.

Officials are continuing to analyse the evidence recovered during the operation. Further action may depend on the findings of the financial investigation and the verification of the suspected transactions.

The allegations remain under investigation, and the role of each individual will have to be established through the legal process.

News source: Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.