ED 'Freezes' Chopper In Chennai To Help US Justice Dept In Money Laundering Case

The ED also found that the helicopter was in a dismantled condition with rotor blade, engine, tail boom etc. kept in different packages.

A private chopper (Image for representation)

Chennai: The Enforcement Directorate “froze” a helicopter in Chennai, owned by a Bangkok company, based on an “arrest” warrant issued by Columbia district court, according to officials. The helicopter "Bell 214" was owned by Hameed Ibrahim and Abdulla of Marilog Avion Services Co. Ltd Bangkok. 

According to a report on PTI, Hameed Ibrahim and Abdulla kept the helicopter at a warehouse, J Matadee free trade warehouse zone (FTWZ), in Chennai. The duo imported the helicopter from AAR Corporation in the USA and sent it to India via Thailand in 2019. In India, they kept the helicopter at the warehouse FTWZ in Chennai. 

Recently, a US court issued an order to the custodian of the warehouse "restraining" the movement of the helicopter or the spare parts from FTWZ under section 17 (1A) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). 

A statement issued by the ED on Friday said, the US Department of Justice requested the ED to provide help to execute the arrest warrant issued for the helicopter by the Columbia district court. 

Following this, the ED took action based on the Mutual Legal Assitance Treaty (MLAT) with the US. In the search, ED found that the helicopter was parked on a monthly rental basis. The ED also found that the helicopter was in a dismantled condition with rotor blade, engine, tail boom etc. kept in different packages.

Even earlier, the ED has raided the premises of directors of Marilong Avion Service Pvt Ltd and the FTWZ in Chennai.