A major money laundering network linked to drug trafficking has been uncovered in South Carolina. Three men have been charged in what federal authorities are calling one of the largest professional money laundering operations ever seen in the state. The operation involved millions of dollars, secret transactions, and dangerous drugs like fentanyl.
Who Are the Accused?
The U.S. Attorney’s Office named the three accused as:
Nasir Ullah, 28, and Naim Ullah, 32, both from Sumter, South Carolina, and
Puquan Huang, 49, from Buford, Georgia.
They are now facing federal charges for conspiring to launder money earned through illegal drug trafficking.
How Did the Money Laundering Work?
Acting U.S. Attorney Brook Andrews said the men worked with drug dealers across the southeastern United States. They bought large amounts of drug money in cash and then used it to buy electronics. These electronics were shipped to places like China and the Middle East. By doing this, they made the money look like it came from legal business activities instead of drugs.
The operation collected drug money from several parts of South Carolina, including Charleston, Richland, Sumter, and York Counties. The cash was then stored at two business locations in Sumter while being moved through complex international transactions.
DEA Investigation and Fentanyl Danger
Michael Tooley, Assistant Special Agent in Charge at the DEA, said that this investigation began while looking into top members of Mexico’s biggest drug cartels. During this investigation, the DEA discovered this large-scale money laundering ring.
He shared a shocking detail from the case: one drug seizure included $177,000 in cash, which could have been used to buy 7 kilograms of powdered fentanyl. According to the DEA, just one kilogram of fentanyl can kill up to 500,000 people. That means 7 kilograms could potentially kill 3.5 million people—more than half the population of South Carolina.
He also warned that around half of the illegal pills tested by the DEA contain a deadly dose of fentanyl, showing how dangerous and serious this issue is.
This case shows how drug trafficking and money laundering can deeply affect not just one community, but entire states and even countries. By uncovering this huge illegal network, federal officials have taken a major step toward stopping the spread of deadly drugs like fentanyl. The investigation is ongoing, and more arrests or charges may follow. The authorities are determined to crack down on the flow of illegal money and drugs that put millions of lives at risk
