ED Raids Properties of Alleged Drug Supplier Neetu Bai Across Hyderabad

The Enforcement Directorate carried out coordinated searches on Thursday across multiple locations in Hyderabad, including Dhoolpet and Nanakramguda, targeting properties linked to alleged bulk drug supplier Neetu Bai alias Kalapathi Nithu Bai as part of a multi-state money laundering probe.

The operation marks the first time the agency has officially initiated a narcotics-related investigation in Telangana. The 54-year-old suspect, popularly referred to as the "Ganja Queen" or "Rani" in Dhoolpet's Jinsi Chourahi, is accused of running a large-scale bulk cannabis supply syndicate.

Searches in Telangana covered premises in Serilingampally, Nanakramguda, LB Nagar, Attapur, and parts of Ranga Reddy district. Five separate ED teams were deployed to target premises linked to Neetu Bai across the city. The raids were conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as part of the nationwide "Nasha Mukt Bharat" campaign.

The broader operation spanned four southern states, with investigators searching as many as 30 premises. Beyond Telangana, teams inspected locations in Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, Tirunelveli, Nagapattinam, Velankanni, and Ramanathapuram. In Karnataka, searches took place in Kolar, Malur in Kolar district, and Hoskote in Bengaluru North district, while operations in Kerala spanned Kozhikode, Kannur, Malappuram, and Thrissur.

The federal financial investigation stems from earlier criminal cases registered by Telangana’s Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE). Investigators registered the PMLA case to trace and freeze proceeds of crime generated through illicit bulk ganja trafficking. Officials stated that the syndicate is family-assisted and maintains operational links across five states to transport bulk narcotics into Hyderabad and its surrounding suburbs.

According to investigators, the network catered extensively to high-income consumers, drawing clientele from upscale neighbourhoods including Jubilee Hills, Banjara Hills, and the Financial District. The agency aims to track the financial trail established by the trafficking network.

Prior to the ED action, the EAGLE Force had seized Neetu Bai's residential property in Nanakramguda on July 18 under the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators Forfeiture of Property Act (SAFEMA). Neetu Bai remains designated as absconding across multiple EAGLE FIRs, and an active manhunt is currently underway. ED sources stated that formal details regarding seized assets and documents will be released once the multi-state operation is fully concluded.