Massive Codeine Cough Syrup Smuggling Ring Busted in Varanasi

A case has been registered against 28 drug dealers, including a father-son duo in Varanasi, for smuggling codeine-laced cough syrup. Shubham Jaiswal and his father, behind shaili Traders, supplied the syrup to 26 local firms. An investigation revealed misuse of the syrup for intoxication.

A significant legal case has been registered against 28 drug dealers in Varanasi, following their alleged involvement in the smuggling of codeine-laced cough syrup intended for intoxication purposes, police revealed on Monday.

Investigations by the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department uncovered that Shubham Jaiswal, a resident of Prahlad Ghat, Varanasi, along with his father Bholanath Prasad, orchestrated the sale of the banned substance through their business, Shaili Traders. This operation reached 26 businessmen in the area, raising alarms among authorities.

The revelation prompted Drug Inspector Junab Ali to file a formal complaint on Saturday in Varanasi. Inspections of the implicated businesses found several closed, with unresponsive contact numbers cementing the suspicion of cough syrup misuse for intoxication, sparking a deeper investigation.

(With inputs from agencies.)