ED conducts search operation at 8 places in Bengal linked to sand-smuggling racket

Kolkata, Oct 16 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday conducted search operations at eight places across West Bengal in relation to a sand-smuggling racket running in the state.

Sleuths of the central investigation agency have raided Jhargram, Asansol, Lalgarh and Gopiballavpur areas. It is reported that sand was being extracted at the time when the ED sleuths arrived.

It may be noted that the ED has conducted searches in the sand smuggling case earlier as well. A few days ago, the officials of the central agency went to the Jhargram district. Sources said the house of a businessman was searched here.

It is learned that sand was being extracted continuously in a quarry of the businessman in Lalgarh. Rows of trucks were parked there. However, no owner was seen at the quarry. According to a source, the ED has started questioning a person named Gopal. However, it is yet to establish his role in the case.

On the other hand, another team of the central agency has raided the house of a sand businessman in West Burdwan district's Asansol. At the same time, the ED is also conducting searches in an office in Kolkata. They are holding the search in an office in the Poddar Court area of central Kolkata.

This is the second time that the ED officials have conducted any operation in West Bengal in relation to sand-smuggling rackets.

In September, the ED similarly conducted search operations in Kolkata, Gopiballavpur in Jhargram district and Kalyani in Nadia district.

As per the ED’s estimates, the sand-smuggling rackets operating in the state involve hundreds of crores of rupees.

Sources said that due to the huge demand for sand available at the banks of the Subarnarekha River, the same was sold in the open markets at double the government rates. Often, the permits for sand mining, which are issued by the state government, are forged and used to conduct illegal mining by racketeers.

--IANS

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