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Cough Syrup Kingpin's Liquor Empire Raided
12 Apr
Summary
- Four liquor shops linked to fugitive Shubham Jaiswal were seized.
- Guarantee money from two shops, including his wife's, was forfeited.
- Syndicate laundered cough syrup profits through liquor shops.
In a significant crackdown, police and excise officials seized four liquor shops in Varanasi linked to fugitive codeine cough syrup smuggling kingpin Shubham Jaiswal. The action, which occurred late Saturday, also saw the forfeiture of guarantee money from two of these establishments. These shops were reportedly licensed in the names of women associated with Jaiswal's syndicate, a tactic allegedly used to launder illicit profits.
Investigations have uncovered six liquor shops operating under Jaiswal's syndicate. Evidence suggests that profits from these liquor businesses were transferred to Shubham through the hawala system. Specifically, the composite shops in Lehartara, Paredkothi, Kazzakpura, and Khojwa were sealed. Further action included forfeiting the guarantee money of shops licensed in the name of Shubham's wife, Vaishali Pursvani, and Rekha Devi.
The licenses of these shops, operated under women's names, were found to be in violation of regulations. A report was submitted to the district magistrate, who ordered the suspension of licenses and issued show-cause notices. Previously, on April 7, several women associated with Jaiswal's network, including his wife and mother, were arrested but later released due to insufficient evidence.
Investigators revealed that Shubham and his jailed father, Bhola Prasad, allegedly laundered black money from cough syrup sales via these liquor shops. The income was reportedly transferred to Shubham via hawala by his jailed trade manager, Vaibhav Jaiswal. Shubham's syndicate allegedly formed associations to control profits from six English liquor shops.
