July 6, 2026
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Forged GST invoices and hawala routing allegedly enabled a border smuggling and money-laundering network for areca nut trade.
An alleged organised syndicate smuggled foreign-origin areca nut across the India-Myanmar border and channelled the proceeds through a laundering network using forged GST invoices, bogus supplier and buyer entities, false transport documents and hawala routes. The alleged operation involved suppliers in Mizoram, facilitators in Assam, consignees and financiers in West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, and an invoicing entity in Kolkata said to have enabled circular trading. The investigation, conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, involved multi-state searches and the seizure or freezing of diaries, title deeds, property documents, cash and bank accounts.