Assets of Goan attached in drug, money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached assets worth Rs 80 lakh of a Goa-based pharmacy owner in connection with a money laundering and narcotics trade case against him and his associate.
"The agency's Goa office has attached fixed deposits, bank balances and policies worth Rs 80 lakh of accused drug dealer Norman Azavedo in a PMLA case. He is the owner of Norma Pharmacy at Calangute, Goa," a statement issued by ED said.
The agency has registered a criminal case against Azavedo and his employee R Patil under the provisions of the Prevention of Money laundering Act in February this year after taking cognisance of a Goa police (anti-narcotics cell) case in this regard against him.

ED sources said the attachments were done as the accused had allegedly "invested the proceeds of crime earned by selling banned psychotropic substances" into various movable and immovable assets.
They said Azavedo was earlier arrested by the Customs authorities for allegedly indulging in illegal narcotics trade in the beach state in 2009.
The central probe agency had in June this year seized foreign currency like Great Britain Pound, USD and Euros equivalent to over Rs 3.28 crore from the residential premises of Azavedo.
An attachment proceeding under PMLA is aimed to deprive the accused from the benefits of his or her illegally earned income and this order can be challenged before the Adjudicating Authority of the said Act within a period of 180 days from the date of issuance of the order.