New Delhi, Oct 11 (IANS): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has launched a big crack down on assets (movable and immovable) acquired by crime syndicates across the country.

In a first step, the ED has arrested two associates of late Iqbal Mirchi, who was a close accomplice of underworld fugitive Dawood Ibrahim, for falicitating a land deal worth Rs 200 crore.

The accused, who were in from Mumbai, have been identified as Haroon Yusuf and Ranjit Singh Bindra.

Sources said that Bindra acted as a broker for the land deal while Yusuf transferred the money to a trust and facilitated the deal. The two will be produced before a concerned court in Mumbai.

Memon Iqbal Mohammed alias Iqbal Mirchi was wanted by the police in a dozen cases of murder, attempt to murder, criminal intimidation, extortion and drug trafficking in Mumbai.

However, he was not an accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts.

An Interpol red corner notice was issued against Mirchi in 1994. After the blasts, he fled to Dubai and from there he shifted base to London, where he passed away in 2013.

Earlier, the ED had initiated investigations into Mirchi's dealings in India and abroad, including the UK, Cyprus, Spain, the UAE, Morocco and Turkey.

In April 1995, Scotland Yard raided Mirchi's house in the UK and arrested him on charges of drug trafficking and terrorism.

Mirchi was again arrested in 2012 for allegedly threatening to kill his nephew, Kadir Nadeem. However, the charges were dropped due to insufficient evidence, and again India could not initiate extradition proceedings against him.