ED conducts searches in Chennai; nabs key accused in Rs 68 crore red sanders smuggling case

New Delhi [India], May 27 (ANI): The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Nagpur Sub-Zonal Office, has conducted search operations at two premises in Chennai linked to Abdul Jaffer, who is allegedly involved in large-scale smuggling of Red Sanders to Dubai, the agency said on Monday.
According to an ED statement, the accused exploited his syndicate's clout to replace declared export goods with Red Sanders during transit.

ED, Nagpur has carried out search operations at 02 premises in Chennai on 22.05.2025, linked to Abdul Jaffer who is involved in large scale smuggling of Red Sanders to Dubai. During the search operations, various incriminating documents were seized. During the search operation,…

— ED (@dir_ed) May 26, 2025

"ED, Nagpur has carried out search operations at 02 premises in Chennai on May 22, 2025, linked to Abdul Jaffer who is involved in large-scale smuggling of Red Sanders to Dubai. During the search operations, various incriminating documents were seized. During the search operation, Abdul Jaffer has been nabbed who was on run since last 4 years. He has been brought to Nagpur under Transit Remand issued by Ld. Jurisdiction Court at Chennai. After that, he has been produced before Special Court (PMLA), Nagpur on May 24, 2025. The Hon'ble Court is pleased to grant ED custody till May 28, 2025," the ED said in a post on X.

Search operations unraveled several properties in the form of land, building, flat and high-end vehicles acquired by the accused out of Proceeds of Crime which runs into crores of rupees including other incriminating materials.
ED initiated investigation on the basis of a Prosecution Complaint filed by DRI, Nagpur under Section 135 of the Customs Act, 1962 against said Abdul Jaffer and others.

ED investigation revealed that he had smuggled out a total of 13 consignments of Red Sanders to Dubai by way of replacing the declared goods i.e. Sponge Iron which was being exported by a Raipur based entity.
The value of total smuggled Red Sanders has been calculated to be Rs. 68.00 Crore (Approx.), which excludes one consignment so intercepted and seized by DRI when it was being attempted to be smuggled. Apart from the above, investigation also disclosed that his name was figured out in several other smuggling cases of Red Sanders which were investigated by other unit of DRI, which attributes that he is a habitual offender in smuggling of Red Sanders.
Further investigation is under progress. (ANI)