Article Body
India's Enforcement Directorate seized more than 2.2 crore rupees ($265,000) in cash and foreign currency during raids on 15 premises linked to casino operators, the agency said.
The searches targeted entities including Golden Globe Hotels Pvt Ltd, Worldwide Resorts and Entertainment Pvt Ltd, and Big Daddy Casino in Goa, the directorate said in a statement. Authorities recovered 2.25 crore rupees in Indian currency, $14,000 and other foreign currency worth 8.5 lakh rupees, according to the statement.
The Enforcement Directorate conducted the operations on Sept. 28 and 29 across Goa, Delhi-NCR, Mumbai and Rajkot under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, or FEMA, officials said. The probe stemmed from intelligence on unauthorized forex dealings, including a separate search on Sept. 26 at a premises in Mapusa, Goa, following a customs seizure of over $35,000 in foreign exchange, the agency added.
Investigators found evidence that poker chips were exchanged for foreign currency and winnings paid out in foreign notes based on customer needs, the Enforcement Directorate said. Staff at Golden Globe Hotels promoted online platforms including rolex777.co, iCasino247.com, play247s.com, Win Daddy and Poker Daddy, which extended physical casino activities and involved cryptocurrency transactions, it said.
The agency uncovered documents showing systematic forex violations, unregulated online gambling and hawala networks, according to the statement. "The seized material provides strong evidence of systematic illegal forex trading in violation of FEMA provisions," the Enforcement Directorate said.
Officials from the raided entities were not immediately available for comment.
The directorate said the investigation continues to trace wider networks involved in the alleged violations. Further searches may follow as analysis of digital evidence proceeds.
Comments