India, Oct. 28 -- The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has unearthed a unique modus operandi where the drug syndicates on the Indian side of the border settle payments with Myanmar-based suppliers by purchasing ordinary, commercially marketable goods like - petrol and diesel, wheat flour, edible oil, groceries, medicines, footwear and clothing - and then send the products across, the agency officials said on Tuesday.

The settlement of payments in "kind" ensures that money doesn't cross the border.

The findings have been uncovered as part of ED's investigation into the October 23 multi-agency crackdown under 'Operation Trident', in which raids were conducted at 38 locations in Assam, Mizoram, and Manipur on a connected international narco-ca...