In Mumbai, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out nine search operations on October 8, 2025, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA, 2002). The raids targeted a drug‑trafficking network run by Faisal Javed Shaikh and Alfiya Faisal Shaikh. Inside the premises the officers seized documents, property records, digital devices and about ₹42 lakh in cash. They also took three used luxury cars, including two BMWs, and froze a bank locker and several accounts linked to the gang.
Earlier in October, the ED arrested four men—Makbul Abdul Rehman Doctor, his son Kaashif Makbul Doctor, Mahesh Mafatlal Desai and Om Rajendra Pandya—on money‑laundering charges. The suspects were booked under Section 19 of the PMLA and brought before the Special PMLA court in Ahmedabad, where they are being held in ED custody for the next five days. The arrests were the result of investigations in a multibillion‑rupee cyber‑crime probe that started after a First Information Report by the Special Operation Group of the Surat Police.
The case alleges that the accused defrauded people through online scams, fake forex trading alerts, and bogus notices claiming to be from the Supreme Court or the ED. The ED says they moved more than ₹100 crore of illicit proceeds through a network of bank accounts in the names of employees, associates and hired staff. The suspects also used pre‑activated SIM cards to stay under the radar.
To avoid detection, the money was reportedly funneled through Hawala operators and converted into the cryptocurrency USDT. The ED has highlighted the complex web of bank accounts, crypto transfers and fake documents that allowed the gang to launder the proceeds of crime. The agency is continuing its investigations and is working closely with financial institutions and law‑enforcement partners to track and mitigate further money‑laundering activity.
Source: aninews
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