2 Indian Companies Indicted for Smuggling Chemicals Used in Fentanyl

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Newsweek

Published Jan 06, 2025 at 6:14 PM EST | Updated Jan 06, 2025 at 9:29 PM EST


Federal prosecutors in New York announced Monday that two India-based pharmaceutical companies have been charged with smuggling chemicals used to manufacture the lethal drug fentanyl.

Why It Matters

Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, was responsible for around 200 American deaths a day in 2023. Federal authorities describe fentanyl as roughly 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. The drug's distribution in the U.S. by cartels has been a focus for the federal government, which has had to work to unpick a complex, global network—including pill pressers, transporters and money launderers—in an attempt to cut off the flow into the country.

What To Know

Raxuter Chemicals and Athos Chemicals face separate indictments accusing them of conspiring to distribute and import chemicals into the United States, Mexico and other countries with the knowledge that they would be used to produce fentanyl, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York.

Bhavesh Lathiya, a founder and senior executive at Raxuter Chemicals, has also been indicted on related charges. The 36-year-old executive, known by aliases "Bhavesh Patel" and "Bhavesh Bhai," was arrested Saturday in New York City and has been detained following his arraignment in Brooklyn federal court, according to prosecutors.

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/fentanyl-justice-department-indictment-two-indian-companies-2010674

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Companies are often the vehicle for smuggling

The invoices can legitimize most anything. Dress up a person and issue them a company badge and you can smuggle people too.

[Clouds Passing]

2. I hope they suffer miserably

My chid is one of those 200

[MagickMuffin]

3. I'm sorry for the loss of your child

Black market drugs have been responsible for a lot of deaths in our country. It’s unfortunate that we still haven’t figured out how to deal with the situation. A lot of money is made through the black market and I suppose that’s why it isn’t being taken as seriously as it should. Congress will pass more laws to punish the users instead of the abusers. Same ol same ol!


Again my condolences 💐

[Clouds Passing]

5. The users are the punished ones. Thank you for your care MM

[MagickMuffin]

4. Bhavesh Patel, any relation to the incoming fbi director Kash Patel?

Wow, and he’s only 36 years old. Now prosecute to the fullest extent of the law. Send him to a federal prison for life.

He is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of innocent people. May he suffer for the pain he has caused families.

[EllieBC]

6. Patel is one of the most common surnames in many

Indian families in Britain and the US.

Just like in US and Canadian communities of people from India from the Punjab region, you’ll find mostly “Singh” as a surname.

[Scruffy1]

8. years ago I had a friend who was from India.

He owned a thick directory like a phone book of Patels in the USA.

[EllieBC]

9. I work with many many Indian immigrants and children of immigrants.

Very specifically Sikh from the punjab region. Singh for males and Kaur for females as surnames? I swear it’s pretty much everyone.

And yeah I’ve heard of the Patel directories too for Hindu communities!

[LeftInTX]

11. Yes, all Sikhs are named Singh. (Lion) Kaur is an "earned named" for women. ("Baptised" Sikhs)

A Sikh who has been initiated into the Khalsa ('pure'; the Sikh brotherhood) is considered to be Amritdhari (baptised) ( lit. 'amrit taker') or Khalsa ('pure')


Sikhs can chose to be baptized or not baptized

[MagickMuffin]

12. Of course I was kidding since the predator is using an alias

But I thought it was interesting just the same.


Thanks for the info

[LeftInTX]

10. It's so common there's a funny movie about it: Meet the Patels

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meet_the_Patels

There is even a joke about Patels and motels! But the meme became reality.

A Patel Motel Cartel?
Look a bit closer and the picture is even more arresting: about 70 percent of all Indian motel owners -- or a third of all motel owners in America -- are called Patel, a surname that indicates they are members of a Gujarati Hindu subcaste. ''There's a thing our parents tell everyone, so don't yawn if you've heard it already,'' says Mit Amin, an urbane 39-year-old who owns the Beverly Hills Inn, a chic bed-and-breakfast in the Buckhead section of Atlanta. ''In some American small towns they think 'Patel' is an Indian word for 'motel.' Can you blame them? As for me, I'm glad I'm called Amin. Wouldn't you want to be called Brown if the rest of the world was called Smith?''

https://www.nytimes.com/1999/07/04/magazine/a-patel-motel-cartel.html

https://www.patelmotelstory.com/

How Patels Built Their Hotel Empire
https://hollywoodprogressive.com/literature/how-patels-built-their-hotel-empire

Jokes aside, the name is a common as Smith or Jones in the NW Indian state of Gujarat.

[MagickMuffin]

13. Of course I was joking

After all this is one of the predator’s alias. He has many more apparently.

Thanks for the info!

[progressoid]

7. Trump's wall will fix this.