Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Nov 16: The Enforcement Directorate has frozen 110 ‘mule’ bank accounts, seized Rs 70 lakh in cash, and uncovered the use of Dubai-based cryptocurrency wallets during searches conducted in connection with a money laundering probe linked to alleged drug trafficking in Delhi, the agency said on Sunday. Mule accounts are typically created using fake or misused customer identities and are used to channel illicit funds without attracting attention.

The searches were carried out on November 14 after the ED took cognisance of a Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) complaint filed in November 2024, relating to the seizure of 82.53 kg of high-grade cocaine. The NCB had valued the confiscated drugs at about Rs 900 crore and arrested five individuals in the case. The ED conducted raids across five locations in Delhi-NCR and Jaipur, focusing on financial channels related to the drug network.

According to the agency, the operation led to the freezing of mule accounts, including 73 accounts linked to UPI IDs and digital wallets, which were actively being used for transactions connected to betting and suspected drug money circulation. During the searches, officials also found documents and digital devices indicating the use of cryptocurrency wallets based in Dubai for transferring funds, highlighting the international financial trail of the network.

Apart from cash, the ED seized incriminating documents, electronic devices and financial records, which are now being examined to identify additional links in the laundering chain and to trace the proceeds of the narcotics trade. The investigation into the wider money laundering racket is ongoing.