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· collected 2026-09-04 · by TOI World Desk
Bhavesh Lathiya, a Gujarati businessman and founder of Surat-based Raxuter Chemicals, has been sentenced to 54 months in US federal prison for smuggling and distributing fentanyl precursor chemicals. The sentence was handed down on September 2 by US District Judge Pamela K Chen in Brooklyn. Prosecutors said Lathiya and his company illegally sold over 50 pounds of chemicals used in fentanyl production to customers in the US and Mexico, with packages often disguised as Vitamin C or antacid. Lathiya will also forfeit $24,560 and be deported after completing his sentence.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-04,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Bhavesh Lathiya, a Gujarati businessman from Surat, was sentenced to 4.5 years in a US prison for his role in smuggling and distributing fentanyl precursor chemicals. He pleaded guilty in April to the charges, which were brought by the US Department of Justice. The case is significant because Lathiya is not an American citizen and does not operate in the US; he is the founder and leader of Raxuter Chemicals, a company based in India. According to prosecutors, Lathiya's company illegally sold and shipped over 50 pounds of chemicals used in fentanyl production to customers in both the US and Mexico. The chemicals were disguised as Vitamin C and antacid shipments, and Lathiya used deceptive shipping practices to evade detection. As part of his sentence, Lathiya was also ordered to forfeit $24,560 and will be deported after completing his prison term.
Written for “Indian Businessman Sentenced” on 2026-09-05,
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The model judged this article politically coded and scored it +0.35, but none of the 1 quote(s) it offered could be found in the article text, so the score is not published.
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Leaning score withheld for article 3922: no verified evidence · logged 2026-09-04
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.
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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.
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Lathita → base → chemicals
He was sentenced on September 2 by US District Judge Pamela K Chen in federal court in Brooklyn.
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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.
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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.
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Lathiya → say → US
The chemicals included materials capable of supplying all the ingredients needed to manufacture fentanyl through commonly used production routes.
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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.
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Lathiya → disguise → scrutiny
Packages containing controlled precursor chemicals were allegedly given false descriptions and accompanied by falsified customs documents.
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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.
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that → arrive → June
Investigators said it actually contained 1-boc-4-piperidone, a regulated chemical used in fentanyl synthesis.
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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.
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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.
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they → tell → product
Lathiya allegedly agreed to supply another 20 kilograms of 1-boc-4-piperidone.
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Lathiya → agree → piperidone
He also proposed disguising the chemical as an antacid.
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He → propose → antacid
The shipment was eventually sent to the US in November 2024, with the package labelled as an antacid, prosecutors said.
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prosecutors → send → antacid
US officials portrayed the case as significant because it targeted the supply of fentanyl before the drug itself was manufactured.
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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.
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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.”
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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”.
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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.
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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.
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chain → prosecute → US
Lathiya was arrested in New York City in January 2025.
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Lathiya → arrest → January
