Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials stunned after raiding the luxurious Lucknow home of dismissed police constable Alok Pratap Singh. Singh, arrested on December 2, 2025, is linked to a large illegal codeine-laced cough syrup racket spanning Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. Authorities seized 3.5 lakh bottles of syrup, worth ₹4.5 crore, and several high-end items including Prada and Gucci handbags and expensive watches. Singh's two-storey mansion covers nearly 7,000 sq ft near the Lucknow-Sultanpur highway. Police estimate over ₹1.5-2 crore was spent just on interiors, with construction costs around ₹5 crore excluding land. Singh, originally from Chandauli, was dismissed twice from police service after previous arrests, including a 2006 gold theft case. He allegedly mentored young men from UP districts and used police and political contacts to run cough syrup wholesale units. The investigation is part of a wider probe into codeine cough syrup smuggling by a syndicate. Key accused Shubham Jaiswal is believed to be in Dubai while his father Bhola Jaiswal is in custody. The UP government set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to track illegal sales and financial transactions. So far, three major 'super-stockists' have been arrested, with actions continuing against others. Evidence shows the syrup was trafficked across India-Nepal and India-Bangladesh borders. FIRs have been filed against 128 establishments under relevant narcotics and legal sections. Officials say no casualties have been reported from syrup abuse so far. The Food and Drug Safety Authority says the syrups are legal only with prescriptions but are widely misused. ED continues parallel investigations into financial trails linked to the racket.