A massive fake cough syrup racket has been exposed, stretching from UP to Nepal, Bangladesh, and even Dubai. With crores laundered, key kingpins on the run, and international ties uncovered, how deep does this illicit network really go?
Black-market network dealing in illicit cough syrup has been uncovered
Lucknow: A massive black-market network dealing in illicit cough syrup has been uncovered, spanning across several Indian states and even reaching international borders.
Uttar Pradesh Police and the Special Task Force (STF) are investigating how this syndicate operated a multi-crore illegal supply chain, stretching from UP to Bihar, Jharkhand, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and West Bengal.
Investigations reveal that the network has extended to Bangladesh and Nepal, with the kingpin, Shubham Jaiswal, still at large.
Cough Syrup Scam in UP: How Chips and Snacks Became a Gateway for Illegal Trade
The STF, in coordination with the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA), has registered 24 cases over the past year. Investigations confirmed that the narcotic cough syrup was being smuggled to neighbouring countries, including Nepal and Bangladesh. Authorities estimate the total turnover of this illegal business exceeds ₹100 crore.
The syndicate allegedly used fake companies and forged documents to purchase syrup directly from pharmaceutical manufacturers. Once procured, the cough syrup was trafficked across states and sold as a recreational drug. Apart from Uttar Pradesh, the network was active in Bihar, Jharkhand, Haryana, West Bengal, and Himachal Pradesh.
Each consignment was reportedly worth crores of rupees. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has now launched a probe, treating the case as a major money-laundering operation aimed at exposing the entire gang.
Following the arrest of Shubham Jaiswal’s father, Bhola Prasad Jaiswal, SIT teams raided the homes and offices of Shubham’s Chartered Accountant, Vishnu Agrawal, in Sigrha. Shubham, meanwhile, fled to Dubai, reportedly running the network from abroad through hawala transactions. The ED has also sought full reports from FSDA to determine whether any officials were complicit in the operation.
Video: Ram Gopal Yadav slams central govt in Mainpuri over cough syrup scam, falling rupee, and more
Jharkhand-based pharmaceutical companies were producing the narcotic syrup, while Shubham Jaiswal’s firm, Sally Traders, acted as a super-stockist, distributing it across states and abroad. The ED has summoned him to present his side on December 8 under the Money Laundering Act.
Additional key players, Alok Singh and Amit Singh Tata, are currently in jail, and ED officials will conduct direct questioning there. Both are considered major figures in the illicit cough syrup trade.
This crackdown has exposed a complex web of illegal trafficking and money laundering across six states and international borders, highlighting the growing concern of narcotic misuse in India.
