Representative image of cough syrup.
Credit: iStock Photo
Varanasi, Jan 9 (PTI) The Varanasi Police conducted a raid at the residence of a close associate of alleged cough syrup trafficking kingpin Shubham Jaiswal, in connection with an ongoing probe into a codeine-laced cough syrup racket, officials said on Friday.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) T Sarvan said a search was carried out Thursday evening at Prashant Upadhyay's residence in Madouli as part of the investigation. However, Upadhyay was not present at the house during the raid.
Sarvan said police teams from various police stations participated in the operation. During the raid, police questioned family members and collected some documents, he said.
The DCP said the police would examine the business dealings between Upadhyay's two firms -- Radhika Enterprises and Rajendra Drug Agency -- and Shaili Traders to ascertain the nature of transactions and the manner in which the trade was conducted.
He said Prashant Upadhyay, is also named in the FIR registered in the case along with Shubham Jaiswal.
Upadhyay is known as a major trader of cough syrup at the Saptasagar medicine market here.
Police suspect that firms linked to Upadhyay were involved in transactions of codeine-laced cough syrup worth several crores, Sarvan added.
The latest action is part of a wider probe being carried out by Uttar Pradesh authorities into the alleged illegal stocking and trade of the codeine-laced regulated syrup worth hundreds of crores, with links outside the state.