Indore: The Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) Indore Sub-Zonal Office has arrested three persons in connection with a major drug trafficking and money laundering racket involving 70 kg of Mephedrone (MDMA), valued at nearly Rs 70 crore, probe agency officials said on Thursday.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Ved Prakash Vyas, Dinesh Agarwal, and Akshay Agarwal. They were taken into custody on July 21, 2026, following an investigation initiated on the basis of an FIR registered by the Indore Crime Branch.
The case pertains to offences punishable under various sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, along with provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
According to the ED, the accused and others were involved in the illicit possession and trafficking of commercial quantities of Mephedrone.
The investigation revealed that the accused generated substantial proceeds of crime through narcotics trafficking and routed the cash through multiple personal and business bank accounts.
Financial probes uncovered evidence of systematic placement, layering, and concealment of criminal proceeds.
During the investigation, the ED conducted extensive searches on July 17, 2026, at multiple premises across Indore and Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh.
The operations, supported by sustained surveillance and intelligence gathering, led to the recovery and seizure of incriminating documents, digital devices, and evidence related to the assets, financial transactions, and business affairs of the accused persons.
Statements recorded during the probe also indicated the involvement of the accused in the supply and trafficking of narcotic drugs in addition to their regular business activities, the ED said.
The ED has described this as a significant breakthrough in curbing the narcotics trade and related money laundering networks operating in the region.
Officials said that the accused were using legitimate business fronts to disguise the proceeds of drug trafficking.
Further investigation is underway to identify other members of the syndicate, trace additional assets, and uncover the full extent of the drug supply chain.
The central probe agency is likely to produce the arrested persons before the designated PMLA court for custody remand.
This case highlights the growing nexus between drug trafficking and money laundering in Madhya Pradesh, prompting authorities to intensify crackdowns on organised narcotic networks.
The ED has appealed to the public for information that may assist in the ongoing probe.
(IANS)
