In a significant breakthrough in Uttar Pradesh's extensive codeine trafficking investigation, Kolkata Police apprehended Bhola Prasad, the father of fugitive pharmaceutical dealer Shubham Jaiswal, on Sunday. The arrest marks a crucial development in the multi-state probe that has uncovered a sophisticated narcotics network spanning several states and international borders.
The Airport Arrest and Escape Plan
Bhola Prasad was detained at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata following specific intelligence shared by Sonbhadra Police. Authorities had received information that Prasad was attempting to flee the country through Kolkata, with planned onward travel to Thailand and subsequently to Singapore.
The timely intervention prevented his international escape, and a team from Sonbhadra Police has since arrived in Kolkata to take him into custody and transport him back to Uttar Pradesh for further interrogation.
Criminal Background and Network Operations
According to senior UP STF officers, Bhola Prasad faces charges in four separate criminal cases registered across Sonbhadra, Varanasi, Ghazipur, and Jaunpur districts. His alleged involvement centers around the illegal sale of restricted pharmaceuticals, particularly codeine-based cough syrup.
Investigators have identified his son, Varanasi-based dealer Shubham Jaiswal, as the suspected mastermind behind a large cross-border narcotics operation. The network allegedly operated through fake companies, forged documents, and carefully orchestrated interstate movement of contraband.
Police evidence indicates that Shubham and his father engineered a high-volume supply chain that moved codeine-laced cough syrup from stock points in Ghaziabad and Varanasi to Jharkhand, West Bengal, Bihar, and across international borders to Nepal and Bangladesh.
Network Structure and Modus Operandi
The investigation has revealed an elaborate network structure designed to conceal illegal activities. Authorities have uncovered that at least six shell firms existed only on paper, with several transport and billing documents being completely forged.
A Ranchi-based firm, Shaili Traders, was utilized to issue fake invoices supporting interstate movement of the contraband. The investigation trail shows that Jaiswal sourced the syrup from a factory in Himachal Pradesh, stored it in Ghaziabad, and distributed it through Agra, Lucknow, and Varanasi before channeling it deeper into the eastern corridor and across international boundaries.
The crackdown intensified significantly after the tragic death of 24 children in Madhya Pradesh linked to toxic cough syrup, prompting statewide raids in Uttar Pradesh. During a raid in Sonbhadra on October 18, police made a substantial recovery of 12,000 bottles of codeine syrup cleverly hidden inside snack cartons.
Truck drivers involved in the transportation later informed investigators that the consignment originated from one of Jaiswal's front companies and was routed through his contacts in Ghaziabad.
Rapid Expansion and Current Status
Investigators note that before the COVID-19 pandemic, Shubham Jaiswal operated as a small-time medical supplier. However, during the pandemic, he identified rising demand for restricted drugs and partnered with a local strongman to rapidly expand operations across multiple states.
Multiple FIRs have been registered against both Shubham Jaiswal and Bhola Prasad in Ghaziabad, Varanasi, Jaunpur, and other districts. Jaiswal's Varanasi outlet, New Vriddhi Pharma, was allegedly used to justify unusually large purchases, while paperwork connected to Shaili Traders has been confirmed as entirely fabricated.
The network's reach extends across at least 10 districts, including Prayagraj, Lucknow, Kaushambi, and Bhadohi. According to the Anti-Narcotics Task Force and SIT teams, Shubham Jaiswal and his associate Asif have fled to either Nepal or Dubai.
As the investigation continues to widen, authorities anticipate more high-profile arrests in connection with this extensive codeine trafficking network that exploited pharmaceutical supply chains for illegal narcotics distribution.
