Kolkata: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its probe into a sprawling immoral trafficking racket allegedly operating through bar-cum-restaurants and dance bars across West Bengal, leading to a high-voltage enforcement action that has exposed a nexus of money laundering, women trafficking, and political links.

In a series of coordinated raids conducted across multiple locations in Kolkata and adjoining districts, the ED on Friday seized over ₹1.01 crore in cash, luxury vehicles including a Land Rover Defender and a Jaguar, and a trove of digital devices, property papers, and incriminating documents, officials said on Saturday.

According to ED officials, the crackdown comes under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and follows months of surveillance into alleged financial transactions connected to illegal bar operations and trafficking networks.

“The proceeds of crime were laundered through shell entities, benami accounts, and high-end assets,” an ED statement said.

During the search, the agency also traced numerous bank accounts believed to have been used for funneling proceeds from the illicit operations.

Preliminary findings suggest that cash collected from bar-cum-restaurants involved in the racket was being rerouted through layered banking channels to conceal its origin, before being invested in luxury assets and properties.

Significantly, the operation has also brought a senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader under the scanner. Sources confirmed that one of the locations raided included the residence of the politician, where substantial amounts of cash and documents were recovered.

While the ED has not officially named the leader, officials said investigations are ongoing to determine the extent of their alleged involvement.

Opposition parties wasted no time in slamming the ruling dispensation. The BJP accused the TMC of “patronising organised crime,” alleging that the racket had flourished under political protection. “The ED’s findings are just the tip of the iceberg.

This is how corruption, trafficking, and the illegal liquor trade are being run under the watch of the ruling party,” a BJP spokesperson said.

The TMC, however, dismissed the allegations as “political vendetta” and accused central agencies of carrying out selective action ahead of elections.

“We have full faith in the law. Let the agencies act within the framework of legality — not politics,” said a senior TMC official.

The ED is now examining digital evidence, including CCTV footage, mobile data, and bank statements, to trace money flows and identify other individuals linked to the racket. Officials hinted that more summons and arrests could follow as the financial trail unfolds.

“This is not just a prostitution or bar licence case — it’s a full-fledged money laundering operation involving trafficking and illegal liquor networks,” an officer said.

With the seizure of luxury cars, high-value properties, and crores in cash, the case has triggered a fresh political storm in Bengal, once again placing the intersection of crime, politics, and money laundering under national spotlight.