ED Conducts Raids across Tamil Nadu in Drug Money Laundering Case Involving Former DMK Official

The Enforcement Directorate conducted raids across several cities in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday as part of an investigation into money laundering connected to drug trafficking involving former DMK member Jaffer Sadiq and others. Around 25 locations in Madurai, Chennai, and Tiruchirappalli were searched by ED officials, accompanied by central paramilitary forces, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

ED raids in the Tamil Nadu drug case were targeted on properties belonging to a Tamil film producer/film director Ameer, Sadiq, and others. Sadiq, aged 36, was previously arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) for his alleged role in smuggling around 3,500 kg of pseudoephedrine valued at over Rs 2,000 crore.

Following the NCB's case against Sadiq and others, the ED initiated a money laundering probe based on this and other related FIRs. In the Enforcement Directorate TN drugs investigation, the NCB indicated that Sadiq had connections with financiers in Tamil and Hindi cinema, as well as with ‘high-profile’ individuals, and some instances of "political funding."

In February, Sadiq was expelled from the ruling DMK party after the NCB mentioned his name and purported links to the drug network.