Chennai/UNI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which has launched a crackdown on sand mining mafia in Tamil Nadu by conducting raids at multiple locations on September 12, has frozen Rs 12.82 crore and seized Rs 2.33 crore unaccounted cash and 1,204.6 grams of gold worth more than Rs 50 lakhs

The raids were held at 34 locations including eight sand mining yards in six districts of the State in connection with illegal sand mining cases.

In an update, ED said, "It carried out searches at 34 locations including eight sand mining yards on 12/09/2023 in 6 districts of Tamil Nadu, residential and business premises of various persons including sand mining contractors S.Ramachandran, K. Rathinam and Karikalan and their accomplices, Auditor P. Shanmugaraj, officials of the Water Resources Deptt, Govt. of Tamil Nadu in illegal sand mining case."

"During the search, various incriminating documents were found, Rs 12.82 Cr. was put under freeze & unaccounted cash for Rs 2.33 Crore, gold weighing 1024.6 grams worth Rs 56.86 Lakh were seized", the ED said.

Evidence of bogus transactions and benami companies were found during the raids, it said, adding, the total amount of sand mined were also being ascertained and the number of lorries used to carry the illegally mined sand were also being analysed through the CCTV footage.