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The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Mumbai, conducted search operations at nine locations across the city under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, as part of its probe into a drug trafficking network allegedly operated by Faisal Javed Shaikh and Alfiya Faisal Shaikh.
In a post on X, ED wrote, "ED, Mumbai has conducted search operations on 08.10.2025, under PMLA, 2002 at nine premises in Mumbai to trace the drug sale proceeds acquired by a well-established drug trafficking network of Faisal Javed Shaikh and Alfiya Faisal Shaikh." "During the searches, various incriminating documents including property details, digital devices, Cash of around Rs. 42 Lakh, and 3 second hand luxury vehicles including 2 BMWs were seized. Further, one bank locker and various Bank accounts were also frozen," the post added on X. Earlier today, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested four accused on charges of money laundering in connection with an investigation being carried out in multiple cybercrime cases involving more than Rs 100 crore, the agency said. Makbul Abdul Rehman Doctor, Kaashif Makbul Doctor, Mahesh Mafatlal Desai and Om Rajendra Pandya were arrested under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. The accused were produced before the Special PMLA court in Ahmedabad. The court has granted a five-day ED custody for the purpose of carrying out further investigation in this case. The ED Surat sub-zonal office arrested the accused following its investigation into a case initiated under the PMLA, 2002, based on a First Information Report registered by the Special Operation Group of Surat Police on October 15, 2024, under various Sections of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita, 2023, against Makbul Abdul Rehman Doctor and others. In the instant case, ED said Makbul Doctor, his sons Kaashif Makbul Doctor and Bassam Makbul Doctor, Mahesh Desai, Om Rajendra Pandya and other accomplices have defrauded the gullible people through various cyber frauds such as digital arrests, forex trading, and threatening innocent individuals by sending fake notices of law enforcement agencies like the Supreme Court of India and ED. According to the investigation conducted so far, the ED stated that the accused are found to be involved in laundering the proceeds of Crime (POC) of more than Rs 100 crore. (ANI) As a part of their modus operandi for laundering the POC, ED said, the accused have opened and arranged bank accounts in the name of their employees, associates and hired persons for collection and accumulation of proceeds of crime. Furthermore, for operating the bank accounts, the agency pointed out that the accused had obtained pre-activated SIM cards using a similar modus operandi. During investigation under PMLA, ED further said, it has also been found that these accused persons have laundered the POC by converting the same into crypto currency (USDT) by routing the cash through various 'Hawala Operators' to evade regulatory scrutiny. (ANI)
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