On December 12, 2025, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided 25 places in Uttar Pradesh cities like Lucknow, Varanasi, Jaunpur, and Saharanpur, as well as in Ranchi and Ahmedabad. The probe targets an alleged illegal cough syrup trade racket involving codeine-based syrups. The ED booked a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for money laundering linked to this racket. Officials said the raids focus on suspects including the absconding main accused Shubham Jaiswal, his associates Alok Singh and Amit Singh, cough syrup manufacturers, and CA Vishnu Aggarwal. The case stems from about 30 FIRs filed by Uttar Pradesh Police after the state government flagged misuse, illegal manufacturing, and trafficking of these syrups, some transported across the Bangladesh border. The proceeds of crime are estimated at around ₹1,000 crore. Shubham Jaiswal is believed to have fled to Dubai, while the UP Police have arrested his father. So far, 32 people have been taken into custody by the state police, which has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case. This operation marks a major crackdown on the illicit codeine syrup trade in the region.