Varanasi Cough Syrup Scandal: 28 Firms Exposed for Smuggling, 5 Arrested

• Illegal cough syrup trade in Varanasi is valued at 100-500 crores, with firms fraudulently created solely for smuggling.
• 28 firms have been identified for buying and selling codeine-laced cough syrups; action is being taken against them and potentially involved officers.
• An arrested individual revealed a "sharing formula" where officials and Chemist Association members received ₹1 per bottle from the illegal trade.
• All e-way bills used for smuggling were fake, employing public transport vehicle numbers to disguise the fraudulent transportation.
• Varanasi police arrested five individuals, including Vishal Jaiswal, Badal Arya, Prateek Mishra, and Vishal Sonkar, in connection with the scandal.

Why It Matters: This reveals a massive illegal cough syrup trade, fake firms, and official corruption.