Mumbai, Feb 16: The Mumbai Zonal Office of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached seven immovable properties, including residential flats in Mumbai, worth about Rs 5.88 crore belonging to Faisal Shaikh and his wife Alfiya, residents of Dongri, in connection with an alleged narcotics-linked money-laundering and synthetic drug trafficking case, officials said on Monday.
The attachment was carried out under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) following an investigation initiated on the basis of a complaint registered by the Mumbai unit of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
The probe allegedly identified Faisal as one of the key accused, who allegedly procured the banned synthetic drug mephedrone (MD) through an alleged supplier, Salim Dola. Officials described Dola as a suspected high-value narcotics trafficker and wanted fugitive believed to be operating from abroad and allegedly acting as the financial and operational backbone of multiple cross-city and international drug syndicates. Investigators claim Dola established an extensive network for the supply of synthetic drugs, particularly MD, across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, involving alleged manufacturing, large-scale distribution and laundering of proceeds through complex financial channels. He is wanted by multiple Indian law-enforcement agencies. The NCB has also announced a reward for information leading to his arrest, while the Interpol has issued a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against him.
Officials further said Faisal and his wife Alfiya allegedly developed an organised distribution network to circulate the contraband. The agency claims several individuals acted as bulk receivers and intermediary distributors, procuring MD in large quantities from the Shaikh network and supplying it further through their own channels. Investigators believe these intermediaries functioned as key downstream links between primary suppliers and the street-level market.
The financial probe agency alleged that the couple deposited large amounts of cash suspected to be proceeds of drug sales into their personal bank accounts to project the funds as legitimate income. The probe also found that firms opened in their names and in the names of associates were allegedly used to layer and integrate the suspected proceeds of crime despite having no genuine business operations.
Further investigation revealed that the couple allegedly handed over cash generated from drug sales to a close associate, Faizan Mohd Shafi Shaikh, who allegedly routed the money through multiple bank accounts through a Mumbai-based proprietorship, M/s Faiz Impex, and other associates, including those of shell companies. Part of these funds were allegedly diverted back into the bank accounts of the main accused couple, their family members and associates, and were later used to purchase immovable properties.
Earlier, on October 8, 2025, the ED conducted searches under PMLA provisions, during which cash worth Rs 42 lakh, jewellery weighing about 1.6 kg valued at approximately Rs 1.76 crore, three pre-owned luxury vehicles worth around Rs 56 lakh, and 12 bank accounts were seized or frozen.
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Officials said the suspected money trail and financial network have been mapped through alleged drug trafficking and laundering channels and are continuing to examine digital records, bank transactions and property purchases.
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