Dhaka:The Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) has intensified its efforts against money laundering linked to narcotics-related crimes, with four cases revealing suspected illicit financial transactions and assets worth nearly Tk 100.39 crore.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, charge sheets submitted in the four cases have documented suspected illegal financial transactions and assets totaling Tk 100,38,91,400. These cases, filed between 2018 and 2023 in Dhaka, Chattogram, and Rangpur, have now reached the trial stage, bringing the substantial financial trail under judicial scrutiny.
The four cases are part of a broader DNC crackdown involving 36 money laundering cases and preliminary inquiries. Of these, five remain under investigation and 27 are undergoing preliminary inquiries. The proceedings are being pursued under the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012, as amended in 2015.
The cases, Halishahar Police Station Case No. 12, Pahartali Police Station Case No. 03, Wari Police Station Case No. 07, and Tajhat Police Station Case No. 04, have moved beyond the investigation stage and are now awaiting judicial determination. Meanwhile, five money laundering cases remain under investigation, including four filed in 2026.
Beyond the formal cases, the DNC is conducting 27 preliminary inquiries into suspected money laundering activities. As investigations become increasingly complex, the DNC plans to strengthen its institutional capacity through a proposed modernisation roadmap, including a specialised Cyber Security and Money Laundering Unit and a digital forensic laboratory.
The DNC's expanding investigations reflect a broader enforcement approach aimed at dismantling the financial foundations of narcotics-related crime. Tracing illicit proceeds and establishing admissible financial evidence are essential to securing convictions and pursuing the lawful confiscation of criminal assets. The ultimate test will be whether investigators can prove the allegations in court and secure the recovery or confiscation of assets linked to criminal activity.