In a major crackdown on the narcotics trade, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) unearthed a large stock of codeine-laced cough syrup from an e-rickshaw charging centre in Sujabad area under Ramnagar police station limits on Tuesday. The centre, according to investigators, had been covertly used as a warehouse for illegal cough syrup distribution.
The raid, led by DCP (Crime) T. Saravanan, revealed thousands of cartons filled with bottles hidden inside the facility. Police said the location had been rented around three months ago and was presented as a legitimate business site, though it remained locked most of the time.
30,000 bottles worth ₹63 lakh recovered
SIT officials found nearly 30,000 bottles of codeine cough syrup during the operation. Each bottle, with a maximum retail price of ₹211, brought the total estimated value of the seizure to about ₹63 lakh.
Preliminary investigation indicated that the warehouse was part of a broader smuggling network. The prime suspect, identified as Rahil, had rented the property under the pretext of running a “bag business.” Police believe the premises were being used as a transit point for large-scale distribution.
Link traced to Shubham Jaiswal network
Investigators stated that the seized consignment is connected to the Shubham Jaiswal narcotics network, a group already under scrutiny in previous raids. A similar consignment had been recovered earlier from a gym in the Rohania area. The warehouse in Sujabad was reportedly managed by Manoj Kumar Yadav, a resident of Ausanganj, who is considered a close aide of Jaiswal.
During the raid, Manoj escaped from the site, while investigators found a car belonging to Azad Jaiswal, who was arrested in an earlier operation. Using this lead, the SIT confirmed the warehouse’s location and conducted the successful raid.
Evidence seized; manhunt launched for accused
The SIT sealed the warehouse after seizing all cartons, wrappers, and related documents found inside. Police teams are now scanning CCTV footage from nearby areas to trace movements linked to the contraband’s transport and storage.
Officials said the suspects might have been using multiple storage points across Varanasi and adjoining districts to evade detection. Several accomplices are believed to have gone underground following the operation.
Investigation widens into multi-district smuggling chain
ADCP (Crime) T. Saravanan said that the operation may be part of a larger narcotics smuggling syndicate operating across eastern Uttar Pradesh. “We are verifying how such a large quantity of codeine syrup reached Varanasi and where it was intended to be supplied,” he said.
Police have intensified their search for the absconding accused and are coordinating with narcotics control and excise departments to trace the broader supply chain.
