ED conducts raids across multiple states including Gujarat in cough syrup case

Ahmedabad: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday launched a major operation across Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Gujarat, just hours after registering an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) against 67 individuals involved in the codeine-based cough syrup diversion and trafficking racket.

Acting on the ECIR filed by its Lucknow zonal office, ED teams, supported by central paramilitary forces, conducted coordinated raids at 25 locations, including factories, warehouses, and residences linked to the accused and their associates.

In Uttar Pradesh, searches were carried out in Lucknow, Saharanpur, Varanasi, and Ghaziabad. Simultaneous operations took place in Ranchi (Jharkhand) and Ahmedabad (Gujarat), key centres for the illegal production, bottling, and distribution of codeine-based syrups.

Officials said the money-laundering investigation marks the start of a comprehensive financial probe into the racket, which allegedly generated crores through illegal sales, forged stock entries, fake billing, and benami distribution networks. The ECIR, the ED’s equivalent of an FIR, allows the agency to summon suspects, freeze bank accounts, seize digital evidence, and attach properties acquired through illicit gains.

The ECIR is based on multiple FIRs filed over the past year by UP Police, STF, and FSDA across multiple districts, including Lucknow, Chandauli, Varanasi, Ghaziabad, Sonbhadra, Sultanpur, Kanpur Nagar, Jaunpur, Bahraich, Bhadohi, and Ghazipur. Investigations revealed large-scale seizures of illegal or mislabelled codeine syrups, fake GST invoices, manipulated stock registers, unregistered transporters, and suspected covert manufacturing units.

Officials noted that pharmaceutical consignments were diverted to unlicensed markets via cash-based interstate networks, involving shell firms and benami entities.

The alleged mastermind, Shubham Jaiswal, was issued a notice to appear before the ED in Lucknow on December 8, 2025, but failed to comply. More summonses are expected as the investigation expands. DeshGujarat