The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday conducted raids at 15 locations across multiple states, including five pharmaceutical companies in Uttarakhand’s Rishikesh, Haridwar, and Kashipur. These companies are suspected of being linked to drug traffickers. The firms under scrutiny include CB Healthcare, Similex Pharmachem Drugs Industries, Biogenic Drugs Pvt Ltd, Sol Health Care Pvt Ltd, and Aster Pharma.
ED sources revealed that the raids extended beyond Uttarakhand to locations in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra. The operation stems from an earlier case registered by Uttarakhand STF last year, where a nexus between drug traffickers and these pharma firms was exposed. Investigators are also probing the procurement of raw materials used in the production of drugs.
Significant evidence points toward the misuse of restricted medicines being diverted to traffickers. The case involves suspected money laundering worth crores. ED is now intensifying its probe and may attach properties linked to the accused entities.
The investigation gained momentum after the arrest of drug peddler Alex Paliwal, who allegedly facilitated the supply of restricted drugs. One company reportedly manufactured over 20 crore tablets of a single controlled drug in just a few months, raising major red flags.
