📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Aathavan jaffna
Crime
₹120-Crore Betel Leaf Smuggling Network Exposed
✍️ The Indian Express
🗓 20 Sep 2026, 09:31 AM
👁 9
Authorities have uncovered a sprawling betel leaf smuggling ring valued at ₹120 crore, tracing its extensive supply chain across the country.
Investigators have traced a complex smuggling network that traffics betel leaf, known locally as khair, with an estimated worth of ₹120 crore. The operation, described as having "tentacles" that reach deep into the supply chain, appears to involve multiple layers of procurement, transportation and distribution.
The network reportedly sources raw khair from several rural districts, then moves the product through a series of intermediaries before it reaches urban markets. Officials say the ring has managed to evade detection by exploiting gaps in regulatory oversight and by using informal logistics channels.
Law enforcement agencies are now focusing on dismantling the network’s key nodes. While details of arrests remain pending, the discovery underscores the need for tighter monitoring of the betel leaf trade, which is a significant source of illicit revenue for organized crime groups.
The network reportedly sources raw khair from several rural districts, then moves the product through a series of intermediaries before it reaches urban markets. Officials say the ring has managed to evade detection by exploiting gaps in regulatory oversight and by using informal logistics channels.
Law enforcement agencies are now focusing on dismantling the network’s key nodes. While details of arrests remain pending, the discovery underscores the need for tighter monitoring of the betel leaf trade, which is a significant source of illicit revenue for organized crime groups.