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ED Raids Assam, WB in Massive Areca Nut Smuggling Probe
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News18•01-10-2026, 15:00
ED Raids Assam, WB in Massive Areca Nut Smuggling Probe
- •The Enforcement Directorate conducted searches in Assam and West Bengal in connection with a money laundering investigation into a syndicate smuggling foreign-origin areca nut.
- •The syndicate allegedly brought Indonesian and Thai areca nut into Mizoram via the India-Myanmar border, using local residents as front proprietors for companies routing hundreds of crores.
- •A total of 16 locations were covered during the raids by the Guwahati zonal office of the central agency.
- •Consignments were reportedly sent to gutka and pan masala manufacturers in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Maharashtra using forged GST and transport documents.
- •A Siliguri-based syndicate allegedly collected monthly payments from truckers for unchecked passage from the Assam border through West Bengal and Bihar.
Key Questions Answered
The Enforcement Directorate conducted searches at 16 locations across Assam and West Bengal as part of a money laundering investigation into foreign-origin areca nut smuggling.
The syndicate brought Indonesian and Thai areca nuts into Mizoram via the Myanmar border using local residents as front proprietors, and subsequently sent the consignments to manufacturers in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Maharashtra using forged GST and transport documents.
A Siliguri-based syndicate allegedly collected monthly payments from truckers in exchange for tokens that guaranteed them unchecked passage from the Assam border through West Bengal and Bihar.
