HYDERABAD: In a recent crackdown on interstate drug and money laundering networks operating out of Goa, the Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau (TGANB) has unearthed a complex web of financial channels linked to foreign drug cartels. During the operation, the police arrested three persons and seized drugs and laundered cash worth crores.
On June 4, TGANB officials discovered Rs 50 lakh stashed inside a washing machine during a raid in Goa. The agency had been tracking suspects and their laundering methods based on data collected over weeks. The breakthrough was announced on Saturday. A few days ago, the agency arrested a drug peddler from Nigeria, allegedly the kingpin.
According to officials, two TGANB teams were stationed in Goa for three days, conducting round-the-clock surveillance at two key locations: Sangeetha Mobile Shop in Mapusa and Highland Park Apartments. Their objective was to observe the collection process — how local agents gathered cash and how the laundering kingpin orchestrated the movement of this money to Nigeria.
“We didn’t intervene initially, as we wanted to understand the entire chain — from collection to transfer. On June 4, after confirming that two days’ worth of collections had been completed, we raided the apartment and seized Rs 50 lakh in cash. Foreign nationals were seen handing over cash to local agents. Had we been delayed by even an hour, this money — hidden in a washing machine — would have been smuggled to Nigeria to fund foreign drug cartels,” a TGANB official said.
After the raid, the kingpin reportedly began communicating via WhatsApp, sharing images of Rs 5, Rs 10, and Rs 20 notes as coded signals for the amount to be handed over. Agents receiving someone with matching notes would pay them.
Police investigations into the bank accounts of one of the key accused, Max (recently arrested), revealed over 150 suspicious transactions. These involved the transfer of around 10 crore Nigerian Naira to his associates, including his brother-in-law and wife, over the past year — solely in the form of commission payments. Authorities have since placed several suspected drug peddlers and locations under surveillance, leading to multiple arrests.
“We now have concrete evidence of at least 50 Nigerian nationals operating out of Goa. Between May 26 and June 3, 2025, we identified 58 transactions totaling approximately Rs 2.1 crore,” said the TGANB.
In a parallel probe, police uncovered a hawala channel run by Uttam Singh. Officials estimate this network alone handled Rs 50 lakh in drug money over three days. Uttam Singh, Raju Singh, and Mahendar Prajapathy alias Bobi were arrested in connection with the operation.