The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has seized incriminating documents and bank accounts with a cumulative sum of nearly Rs 50 lakh in Punjab and J-K during raids at nine locations in a narco-terror case related investigation.The searches were conducted on Thursday in J-K and Punjab where ED found several incriminating documents and bank account records that were seized under the provisions of the PMLA, 2002.“ED, Jammu Sub Zonal Office has conducted search operations under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 on July 23 at nine locations in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir near the Line of Control (LOC) in connection with an ongoing money laundering investigation relating to narco-terror funding, involving cases registered by the J-K Police and Punjab Police,” ED stated.The ED investigation revealed a well-organised and a multi-layered narco-terror funding network operating between Punjab and J-K, involving Punjab-based handlers, including Satnam Singh and Manjit Singh alias Maan, and Kupwara-based operatives, including Safeer Ahmed and Kafeel Ahmed.ED informed that the heroin consignments were smuggled from Pakistan through Pakistan-based handlers linked with terrorist organisation, Hizbul Mujahideen, who coordinated with Kashmir-based accused including Safeer Ahmed and Kafeel Ahmed for smuggling heroin through the LoC adjoining areas into India.“In one instance, 35 packets of heroin were retrieved, out of which five packets were distributed locally and 30 packets were concealed in a truck tyre for transportation to Srinagar. The consignment was delivered in Srinagar to Punjab-based carriers Sarabjeet Singh and Honey Basra, who were later intercepted at Banihal in September, 2023 with 30 packets weighing about 31 kg heroin,” ED said.The Punjab-side network, headed by Satnam Singh and Manjit Singh, used forged documents, fake vehicle papers, concealed cavities, multiple vehicles and cash transactions to transport and distribute heroin.ED found multiple other instances were found relating to transportation of heroin from J-K to Punjab through an organised network headed by Satnam Singh and Manjit Singh, wherein carriers and transporters were deployed to collect heroin consignments, cumulatively more than 60 kg, from Kashmir-side operatives and deliver the same in Punjab for further sale and distribution. The proceeds of crime so generated via heroin sales were used to fund terror activities.The ED investigation revealed banking transactions, including high-value cash deposits in accounts of Manjit Singh and cash deposits in the account of Sarabjeet Singh. The searches conducted by ED, particularly in areas adjoining LoC, against narco-terror funding network, are significant as they target the source-side logistics and local facilitators linked with the cross-border narcotics supply chain.