EAGLE Swoops Down on Drug-Linked Hawala Racket

The Telangana anti-narcotics wing, known as the Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE), announced a significant breakthrough as it dismantled a major hawala racket linked to drug trafficking on Tuesday. Twenty individuals were arrested from various states across the country.

The investigation, which began with the apprehension of a Nigerian national attempting to sell cocaine and ecstasy in Hyderabad, revealed an intricate web of financial transactions supporting drug operations. The EAGLE teams conducted extensive raids, recovering Rs 3 crore during the operation.

The network's modus operandi included using multiple passports, fake identities, and fraudulent visas to facilitate the illegal trade. The authorities stressed the importance of disrupting hawala channels and enhancing visa and passport verification processes to effectively combat the narcotics menace.

(With inputs from agencies.)