₹41 lakh cash, 568g Brown Sugar seized in Malda; two arrested
Synopsis
Two youths were stopped on a national highway in Malda with ₹41 lakh in unaccounted cash and 568 grams of Brown Sugar — the latest in a rapid series of large seizures across West Bengal that now has the ED probing a suspected money-laundering network linked to an absconding stone-quarry owner.
Key Takeaways
Kishore Mondal and Siddhartha Mondal were arrested on Thursday on National Highway-12 in Gazole, Malda , West Bengal.
Police recovered ₹41 lakh in unaccounted cash and 568 grams of Brown Sugar from their possession.
Both accused were produced before a district court the same day; police custody was sought for further interrogation.
Investigators believe the two are part of an organised narcotics trafficking racket .
The arrest follows a series of cash recoveries in the state, including ₹48 lakh from a Durgapur brick kiln and ₹28 crore plus 15 kg of gold from a Birbhum residence.
The Enforcement Directorate has begun PMLA proceedings against absconding quarry owner Tulu Mondal linked to the Birbhum case.
Police in Malda district, West Bengal, arrested two motorcycle-borne youths on Thursday morning from Gazole after intercepting them on National Highway-12, recovering ₹41 lakh in unaccounted cash and 568 grams of Brown Sugar from their possession. The seizure is the latest in a string of large cash and contraband recoveries across the state in recent days.
How the Arrest Unfolded
Acting on a tip-off that two individuals were ferrying cash and narcotics between Gazole and Malda town, a team from the Malda District Police set up an intercept at the Rangavita stretch of the highway. The suspects were stopped while riding two separate motorcycles and subjected to a thorough search.
Both motorcycles have been seized as part of the investigation. The district police officer confirmed that the estimated street value of the recovered Brown Sugar runs into 'a couple of lakhs of rupees.'
The Accused and Charges
The two arrested individuals have been identified as Kishore Mondal and Siddhartha Mondal. According to police, they were transporting the cash and narcotics consignment from Gazole toward Malda town when they were intercepted. Both were produced before a district court later in the day, with the public prosecutor seeking police custody for further interrogation.
Investigators believe the duo are part of an organised narcotics trafficking network. Police are currently questioning them to identify other members of the alleged racket.
Part of a Wider Pattern in West Bengal
The Malda seizure is not an isolated incident. On Wednesday, more than ₹48 lakh in cash was discovered stuffed inside a trolley at an abandoned brick kiln in Durgapur, West Burdwan district.
In a separate and larger case, the Birbhum district police recovered ₹28 crore in cash and 15 kilograms of gold — with an estimated market value of ₹22 crore — from the residence of Minar Mondal, described as a close relative of influential stone-quarry owner Tulu Mondal, also known as Mohammad Nazibuddin, who is currently absconding. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has initiated proceedings against Tulu Mondal under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
What Happens Next
With the ED now in the picture and district police pursuing multiple threads simultaneously, investigators are working to establish whether these recoveries are linked to a broader organised crime network operating across West Bengal. The interrogation of Kishore Mondal and Siddhartha Mondal is expected to yield leads on the financing and distribution chain behind the narcotics consignment.
Point of View
Not an anomaly. Three major unaccounted-cash recoveries in West Bengal within days — Malda, Durgapur, Birbhum — suggest either a systemic enforcement surge or a systemic problem being exposed. The ED's entry into the Birbhum case under PMLA raises the stakes: if investigators can establish links between the narcotics cash and the larger money-laundering network, this could unravel well beyond two motorcycle riders on a national highway. The question mainstream coverage is not asking is whether these seizures are connected, and who is coordinating the enforcement response across districts.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was seized from the two arrested youths in Malda?
Police recovered ₹41 lakh in unaccounted cash and 568 grams of Brown Sugar from Kishore Mondal and Siddhartha Mondal, who were intercepted on National Highway-12 in Gazole, Malda, on Thursday morning. Both motorcycles they were riding were also seized.
Who are the two accused arrested in the Malda drug case?
The two accused have been identified as Kishore Mondal and Siddhartha Mondal. They were allegedly transporting cash and narcotics from Gazole to Malda town when Malda District Police intercepted them based on a tip-off.
Are the Malda arrests linked to other cash seizures in West Bengal?
Police have not officially confirmed a direct link, but the arrests follow a series of large unaccounted-cash recoveries in the state — including ₹48 lakh from a Durgapur brick kiln and ₹28 crore plus 15 kg of gold from a Birbhum residence. Investigators are interrogating the accused to determine broader network connections.
What is the Enforcement Directorate's role in these cases?
The ED has initiated proceedings under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against Tulu Mondal, also known as Mohammad Nazibuddin, an absconding stone-quarry owner linked to the Birbhum cash-and-gold seizure. The agency's involvement signals that federal financial crime investigators are now tracking the money trail.
What happens next in the Malda narcotics case?
Kishore Mondal and Siddhartha Mondal were produced before a district court on Thursday, with the public prosecutor seeking police custody. Investigators are interrogating them to identify other members of the alleged narcotics trafficking network.
