Hyderabad police foil massive hawala operation in heart of city
Koti: In a dramatic turn of events that unfolded on the busy streets of Boggulkunta became a sight of police chase for hawala carriers. The chase culminated in the seizure of a whopping Rs 1.2 crore in hawala cash on Tuesday.
Acting on credible information regarding the movement of hawala money from Hanuman Tekdi to Boggulkunta road,Sultan Bazar Police Station Inspector Srinivasa Chary, along with his team, stepped into action. Their vigilance paid off as the streets became the stage for a tense cat-and-mouse chase between a police team and alleged hawala carriers.
At around 5:30 PM on Tuesday evening, the team’s keen eyes spotted a suspicious two-wheeler navigating through Boggulkunta’s congested lanes. When signaled to halt, the riders, in a desperate bid to escape, attempted to evade. And they were successful in escaping but for a few minutes. The team, which was on alert, chased and nabbed them nearby. The two suspects were traveling from Hanuman Tekdi to Boggulkunta on a TVS Jupiter vehicle, Bike no: TS13FB 4347 with the bag on foot.
Exposed hawala network
During interrogation, the duo did not give a satisfactory reply about the bag they were carrying. On further enquiry, they identified themselves as Laxman and Vasanth, aged 27 and 24 respectively, both hailing from Rajasthan. Their evasive responses about a bag between their feet only heightened suspicions. A thorough search revealed the bag’s contents – a whopping Rs 1 crore in cash, confirming the team’s suspicions of a hawala operation in progress.
“Further questioning led to a startling revelation, the existence of a local hawala agent named Tarun, operating from a clandestine location in Shiva Towers. Acting swiftly on this intel, the police conducted a raid, leading to Tarun’s arrest and the seizure of an additional Rs 21 lakhs, along with counting machines and mobile phones,” said Bala Swamy, Deputy COmmissioner of police (DCP) East zone, Hyderabad.
On further enquiry, the accused divulged their connection to a major hawala operator named Bablu in Mumbai, hinting at the extensive network behind this hawala operation. The Sultan Bazar police seized Rs 1.2 crore and six phones from the accused, and further investigation is underway.
