An Indian-origin couple residing in the UK has been handed a 33-year prison sentence each for their involvement in a transnational drug trafficking operation. Arti Dhir, 59, and Kavaljitsinh Raijada, 35, from West London’s Ealing, orchestrated a sophisticated network that mirrored the complexities depicted in the popular crime drama series, “Ozark.” Their criminal empire was exposed when Australian authorities intercepted over half a tonne of cocaine, worth a staggering 57 million pounds (approximately Rs 600 crore), concealed within metal toolboxes. The couple had established a front company called Viefly Freight Services to facilitate their illicit activities. Despite vehemently denying the charges, they were found guilty of multiple counts of exportation and money laundering by a jury at Southwark Crown Court.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) unraveled the intricate web of deceit that the couple had spun. Raijada’s fingerprints on the plastic wrappings of the drug-laden toolboxes, as well as receipts found at their residence, provided crucial evidence linking them to the crime. The NCA revealed that Dhir and Raijada had orchestrated 37 consignments to Australia since June 2019, using 22 decoy shipments to mask their cocaine smuggling operations. The couple’s prior employment at a Heathrow flight services company allowed them to exploit their insider knowledge of airport freight procedures. However, their criminal activities began to unravel when they were arrested at their Hanwell residence in June 2021, leading to the discovery of significant amounts of cash and gold-plated silver bars.
Financial investigations uncovered the extent of the couple’s hidden wealth, with NCA officers finding nearly 3 million pounds in cash concealed in storage units. Despite declaring minimal profits, Dhir and Raijada had managed to purchase a flat in Ealing worth 800,000 pounds (approximately Rs 8.5 crore) and a Land Rover for 62,000 pounds. Suspicion of extensive money laundering arose due to their cash deposits totaling almost 740,000 pounds across 22 different bank accounts since 2019.
In addition to their drug trafficking charges, the couple faced extradition requests from India on allegations of murdering their adopted son, Gopal Sejani, in Gujarat. The 11-year-old boy’s tragic fate unfolded in February 2017, with Indian police accusing Dhir and Raijada of orchestrating a sinister plot involving adoption, insurance, and a staged kidnapping for an insurance payout. The couple had placed an advertisement in a local newspaper, luring prospective parents with the promise of bringing an adopted child to London. Gopal, a farm boy living with his older sister and her husband, became the target of their malevolent intentions. However, India’s extradition request was denied in 2019, followed by an unsuccessful appeal in the High Court in London in 2020.
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