Police in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, have arrested five individuals for their alleged involvement in a large-scale cough syrup smuggling racket. The operation involved creating fake pharmaceutical companies to generate fraudulent GST bills and invoices, facilitating financial transactions totaling approximately ₹23 crore. The cough syrup was reportedly sent to Bihar, West Bengal, and Bangladesh at inflated prices, with proceeds routed back through hawala channels. Authorities are preparing to seize assets of the alleged kingpin, Shubham Jaiswal, who has a reward and a look-out notice against him.