KOLKATA, Sept 8 — The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday carried out a series of coordinated raids across multiple locations in West Bengal as part of its investigation into a sprawling sand smuggling racket allegedly involving hundreds of crores of rupees. The operation marks the agency’s first major crackdown on illegal sand mining in the state.
Raids were conducted in Behala, Regent Park, Bidhannagar, and Kalyani in and around Kolkata, as well as in Jhargram district, where the alleged kingpin of the racket, Sheikh Zahirul Ali, resides. ED officials, backed by Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), searched Zahirul’s three-storey residence near the Subarnarekha River in Gopiballavpur, along with his office and vehicles.
Zahirul, a former village police officer, is accused of running an extensive illegal sand extraction and trade network. He reportedly owns multiple sand mines and is suspected of using forged government permits to conduct unauthorized mining operations. Local sources claim sand from the Subarnarekha River was sold at double the official rates in open markets.
Simultaneous raids were also conducted at the offices of other suspected entities, including G.D. Mining in Behala and its satellite office in Sector V, Salt Lake. Additional searches took place in Beliaberia and Jamboni blocks of Jhargram district, targeting other mine owners allegedly linked to the racket.
According to ED officials, the operation aims to uncover the financial networks behind the illicit trade. Investigators are examining business records, insurance transactions, and property documents to trace the flow of funds. Preliminary findings suggest that proceeds from illegal mining may have been laundered through shell companies and invested in legitimate ventures.
The raids come amid growing scrutiny of illegal resource extraction in West Bengal. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had previously criticized lower-level police officers and land department officials for allegedly facilitating smuggling activities involving sand, coal, and stone. She had called for stricter oversight and transparent tendering processes for mining rights.
The ED is expected to continue its investigation in the coming days, with further action likely against individuals and entities found complicit in the racket. The crackdown signals a broader effort to curb environmental degradation and financial crime linked to unregulated mining in the region.
