UP: Drug racket exposed in Varanasi, fake licence used for illegal codeine trade; Rs 30 crore properties to be attached

VARANASI: In the case registered at Robertsganj police station in Sonbhadra district under sections 318(4), 338, 336(3), 340(2), 61(2)(a) BNS and 27A/29 NDPS Act against Bhola Prasad, the father of kingpin Subham Jaiswal, a major organised drug trafficking racket was exposed during the investigation.According to police, the investigation revealed that all documents for obtaining a drug licence and operating a warehouse under the name "Shaili Traders", Tupudana, Hatia, Ranchi (Jharkhand) by Bhola Prasad, a resident of Kayasth Tola, Prahlad Ghat in Adampur police station area of Varanasi, were found to be fake. He obtained the drug licence fraudulently by misleading the Licensing Authority in Ranchi.Based on this fake licence, he established several fake firms in districts including Ranchi, Palamu, Bokaro of Jharkhand and Sonbhadra, Varanasi, Chandauli, Bhadohi, Mirzapur and Ballia of Uttar Pradesh, showing legitimate supply of codeine-based cough syrup in documents.In reality, he, in collusion with smugglers connected to the drug racket, illegally smuggled bottles of codeine-based cough syrup to other locations. Through this organised criminal activity, he earned huge amounts of illegal money, with which he purchased expensive residences, expensive vehicles, fixed deposits, and deposited large sums in various banks.The investigation so far revealed that the estimated total value of property acquired by him through the illegal trade of codeine-based cough syrup is approximately ₹30 crores.Under the provisions of Section 107 BNSS of the new law, the SIT team, Sonbhadra, sent a report to the court and obtained a notice for attachment of illegally acquired property of Bhola Prasad, which has been served to him.Currently, legal proceedings for attachment of his identified properties are underway. When information about other properties acquired by him through this criminal activity comes to light, attachment proceedings will be carried out as per rules.