An India-based chemical company executive was arrested, and two companies were indicted for conspiring to distribute fentanyl precursor chemicals to the United States, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York announced today.
Bhavesh Lathiya, 36, a founder and senior executive of Raxuter Chemicals, was arrested in New York City on Jan. 4, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.
The indictments allege that the defendants supplied fentanyl precursor chemicals, including 1-boc-4-piperidone, to the U.S. and Mexico, knowing they would be used to manufacture fentanyl, the department confirmed.
The defendants shipped the chemicals using international carriers and employed deceptive practices such as falsifying customs forms and mislabeling packages to avoid detection, the office reported.
In one instance, a June 2024 package from Raxuter Chemicals, falsely labeled as Vitamin C, was delivered to an address in New York and found to contain 1-boc-4-piperidone, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.