EAGLE Nabs Key Drug Money Launderer; Seizes Rs 3 Cr

In a major breakthrough against international drug trafficking and money laundering, the Eagle Force of Telangana arrested Dargaram Rataji Prajapati, a key hawala kingpin linked to foreign-based drug cartels operating across India.

The arrest follows a series of coordinated operations resulting in multiple arrests in Mumbai, Delhi, Rajasthan and Goa, subsequent to the capture of foreign national Onyeisi Esomchi Kenneth, alias Maxwell/Emmanuel Bediako, in a case at the Rachakonda Narcotics Police Station (RNPS).

According to police sources, Dargaram, who was running hawala operations in Mumbai, was apprehended by a team led by Inspector K Praveen Kumar, along with SI B Jeevan Reddy, ASI Rajashekar and PC Santosh. The team also seized Rs 3 crore in cash from a hawala company during the raid.

Dargaram had earlier evaded capture during a raid on M/s Bharath Kumar Chaganlal & Company in Phool Gully, Kalbadevi, Mumbai. Investigations later revealed that the firm was laundering proceeds from Nigerian drug cartels through hawala channels.

During interrogation, Dargaram reportedly confessed to operating a vast hawala network used to funnel drug proceeds to Nigeria. Agents Uttam Singh (alias Jaswant), Kheema Ram (alias Raju/Rajlaxmi, Goa) and Chetan Mavji (Mumbai) collected drug-related hawala money primarily from Nigerian nationals. Under the direction of absconding Nigerian accused Sunny Pascal, these funds were transferred to Nigeria disguised as payments for exports of fabrics, clothes and human hair. Dagaram's associates Chetan Singh, Ronak Prajapati (manager) and Chetan Mavji frequently visited the Mumbai office to collect and transfer cash to the Nigerian cartel members.

Police identified additional hawala hubs at Javeri Chambers, Ratnapur, Ahmedabad - managed by a Devji and a Dilip - and at Bharath Kumar Chaganlal & Company, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi - managed by a Mukesh.

Investigators revealed that the arrested foreign national, Onyeisi Esomchi Kenneth, had used five different passports (four Nigerian and one Ghanaian) to conduct his drug trade in India. The case has raised serious concerns about deported foreign nationals re-entering the country under fake identities to continue illegal activities.

With Dargaram's arrest, the total number of accused arrested in the hawala drug money case has reached 25, and a total of Rs 3.084 crore in cash has been seized.