ED Cracks Down on Illegal Cough Syrup Suppliers, Raids 25 Locations Across 3 States

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday launched several raids at 25 locations linked to Shubham Jaiswal and his associates, who are suspected of involvement in an alleged illegal network trading codeine-based cough syrup.

The officials stated that the search operation began at 7:30 a.m. and was carried out across multiple cities in Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Gujarat. The raid targeted premises connected to Jaiswal and his associates Alok Singh and Amit Singh, as well as other manufacturers accused of diverting cough syrup supplies for the unlawful distribution. One chartered accountant, Vishnu Aggarwal’s premises, were also searched in connection with the ongoing investigation, along with the office of Abbott Pharmaceuticals and several other firms and pharmaceutical companies in Ranchi and Ahmedabad. Several raids were carried out in Saharanpur and Ghaziabad.

Authorities act tough on the traffickers

The crackdown comes after Varanasi Police, acting on intelligence, made a major seizure in Varanasi. Police say that they arrested two suspects during the operation. 

Speaking to ANI, Saravanan Thangamani, DCP Crime, Varanasi, said, “The Varanasi Commissioner is continuously taking action against codeine-containing cough syrup. There is a godown here where this cough syrup is kept in huge quantities. Around 30,000 bottles of codeine-containing cough syrup have been seized, whose estimated value is around Rs 60,00,000. The land of this illegal godown is in the name of Manoj Kumar Yadav, a close associate of Shubham Jaiswal. 2 suspects have been arrested at the spot.”

Meanwhile, Shubham Jaiswal, who is facing multiple cases in Varanasi and Ghaziabad in relation to the alleged smuggling, has appealed to the court, requesting quashing of his FIR and a stay on his arrest. The FIR was filed on November 15 at Kotwali police station under the NDPS Act against Jaiswal, his father Bhola Prasad Jaiswal, and 28 others as accused in the trafficking of illegal codeine-based cough syrup. The ES is expected to extend the probe and explore more angles related to the drug distribution network.
(with inputs from ANI)
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