Home / Crime and Justice / Cough Syrup Kingpin Busted in Rs 1000 Cr Smuggling Ring
Cough Syrup Kingpin Busted in Rs 1000 Cr Smuggling Ring
17 Dec, 2025
Summary
- An accused in a Rs 1000 crore codeine cough syrup racket was arrested.
- Fake firms were used to transact Rs 6 crore without actual syrup movement.
- Drug licenses were obtained using fake experience certificates and affidavits.
Sonbhadra police have apprehended Satyam Kumar from Varanasi in connection with a large-scale operation involving the illicit diversion of codeine cough syrup, estimated to be worth Rs 1000 crore. The syrup was reportedly being smuggled to international destinations, including Bangladesh.
Kumar secured a drug license for his establishment, 'Maa Kripa Medical,' in the Robertsganj area by presenting a fabricated experience certificate and affidavit to the Sonbhadra drug department. Investigations revealed that while his firm purportedly purchased Rs 6 crore of syrup from Shelly Traders in Jharkhand, owned by the syndicate's kingpin's father, no actual syrup was transported. Sales were instead documented to fictitious companies like Ayush Enterprises and Sanaya Medical in Bhadohi.
Further interrogation uncovered that Kumar's cousin, Ravi Gupta, established 'Maa Kripa Medical' and another firm, 'Shiviksha Pharma,' in the name of Vijay Gupta. Both firms allegedly conducted similar fake transactions, involving Rs 6 crore each from Shelly Traders, with the syrup shown as supplied to non-existent firms. Kumar admitted to receiving a profit of one rupee per bottle for facilitating these fraudulent purchase-sale records.
