New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has apprehended a resident of Uttarakhand for his alleged involvement in operating an international drug trafficking syndicate. Banmeet Singh, hailing from Haldwani in Uttarakhand, was arrested by the ED's Dehradun unit on May 29 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
Following his arrest, Banmeet was presented before a special court in Dehradun, which granted the ED custody of the accused for seven days. This decision was made considering the socio-economic implications of drug money and the significant involvement of cryptocurrency in the alleged crimes. The ED's investigation was initiated based on a Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) request from US authorities, citing cross-border offenses under Section 2(ra) of the PMLA, 2002. The scheduled offenses correspond to violations under the NDPS Act.
According to the ED, Banmeet Singh and his brother Parvinder Singh, along with accomplices, operated an international drug trafficking group known as the Singh DTO (Drug Trafficking Organization). Utilizing vendor marketing sites on the dark web and a network of distributors, they allegedly sold drugs in the US, UK, and other European countries. The proceeds from these illegal activities were received through dark web markets and laundered via cryptocurrency transactions.
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