The Aporia · Who is Bhavesh Lathiya, a Gujarati businessman dealing with 'Vitamin C and antacid', sentenced to 4.5 years in a US prison in a first-of-its-kind case?

TOI World Desk

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An Indian chemical company executive has been sentenced to 54 months in a US federal prison in what the US Department of Justice called the first-of-its-kind case as Bhavesh Lathiya is not an American, he does not operate in America; his company is in Surat. asserted

company → sentence → Surat

But Lathita, the founder and leader of Surat-based Raxuter Chemicals, pleaded guilty in April to smuggling and distributing fentanyl precursor chemicals. asserted

Lathita → base → chemicals

He was sentenced on September 2 by US District Judge Pamela K Chen in federal court in Brooklyn. asserted

He → sentence → Brooklyn

Lathiya was also ordered to forfeit $24,560 and will be deported after completing his prison sentence, the US Department of Justice said. asserted

Department → order → Justice

Prosecutors said Lathiya and his company illegally sold and shipped more than 50 pounds of chemicals used in fentanyl production to customers in the US and Mexico. asserted

Lathiya → say → US

The chemicals included materials capable of supplying all the ingredients needed to manufacture fentanyl through commonly used production routes. asserted

chemicals → include → routes

Packages disguised as Vitamin C and antacid According to court filings, Lathiya used deceptive shipping practices to evade customs and law-enforcement scrutiny. uncertain

Lathiya → disguise → scrutiny

Packages containing controlled precursor chemicals were allegedly given false descriptions and accompanied by falsified customs documents. uncertain

Packages → contain → documents

In one case, a shipment from Raxuter Chemicals that arrived in New York on June 29, 2024, was declared to contain Vitamin C. asserted

that → arrive → June

Investigators said it actually contained 1-boc-4-piperidone, a regulated chemical used in fentanyl synthesis. asserted

it → say → synthesis

An undercover agent spoke to Lathiya demanding more supply The investigation later brought Lathiya into direct contact with an undercover US Homeland Security Investigations officer. asserted

investigation → speak → officer

During video calls in October 2024, the undercover officer told Lathiya that customers in Mexico were pleased with the quality of chemicals previously supplied and with the amount of final product they had obtained. asserted

they → tell → product

Lathiya allegedly agreed to supply another 20 kilograms of 1-boc-4-piperidone. uncertain

Lathiya → agree → piperidone

He also proposed disguising the chemical as an antacid. asserted

He → propose → antacid

The shipment was eventually sent to the US in November 2024, with the package labelled as an antacid, prosecutors said. asserted

prosecutors → send → antacid

US officials portrayed the case as significant because it targeted the supply of fentanyl before the drug itself was manufactured. asserted

drug → portray → fentanyl

“During a national crisis when hundreds of Americans were dying every day of fentanyl overdoses, Lathiya smuggled and distributed chemical ingredients, including those that were the building blocks for this deadly drug, without any regard for the harm that his conduct would cause,” US Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr said. asserted

Jr → die → that

“With today’s sentence, the message is loud and clear that our Office will hold precursor traffickers like the defendant accountable for their role in the fentanyl supply chain.” asserted

traffickers → hold → chain

Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge Pete Gizas said Lathiya's activities placed him “at the source of the fentanyl supply chain”. asserted

activities → say → chain

“By feeding the market for fentanyl at its earliest stage, he turned chemical commerce into a direct threat to public safety,” Gizas said. asserted

Gizas → feed → safety

The case was prosecuted in New York, but its alleged supply chain stretched across international borders, with chemicals originating from India and destined for markets including the US and Mexico. asserted

chain → prosecute → US

Lathiya was arrested in New York City in January 2025. asserted

Lathiya → arrest → January

Who is Bhavesh Lathiya, a Gujarati businessman dealing with 'Vitamin C and antacid', sentenced to 4.5 years in a US prison in a first-of-its-kind case?

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