Shimla: Anti- Money Laundering Cell (AML-Cell) of the Himachal Pradesh have booked 20 accused persons,  who allegedly amassed properties worth  Rs 3 Crores under  in ill-gotten proceeds of crime through illegal mining in the Una district and cases have been forwarded to Enforcement Directorate for further investigation, said the police here today.

The police said acting on the leads the AML cell have investigated the properties of 20 accused worth Rs 3 crore  and found these prima facie  as illgotten proceeds of crime. The HP  police  have shared and forwarded  the case to  Enforcement Directorate for further investigation under Anti Money Laundering Act, which is investigation agencies in all case of money laundering, said a senior police official.

The proceeds of crimes established by the police  is being viewed as a tip of iceberg as the illegal mining business is booming in khads, riversides and streams and it allegedly run into several crores  as the mining mafias enjoy political protection, revealed police sources.

The HP police spokesperson said the similar action is under process in other major cases of illegal mining in the state.

HP police have  constituted the AML cell under the chairpersonship of DGP to combat organized crimes effectively. The cell has shared information of major organized crimes  that fall  PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) with the Enforcement Directorate, Government of India.

Himachal Pradesh Police have also been targeting major mining mafia and dismantling their networks. The police investigated three cases under the Mines & Minerals Act from district Una  and found criminal nexus of the accused. The police dismembered the cases  and forwarded these to the Enforcement Directorate, said the spokesperson.