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Two Indian nationals charged with conspiracy to supply drugs in US
Two Indian nationals were named co-defendants, charged in the conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and launder drug proceeds.
Representative Image / Image: Unsplash
Two Indian nationals, Aashish K Jain and M Eshwar Rao, have been charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and launder drug proceeds, according to federal prosecutors. In this case, a New Jersey man has already pleaded guilty before a U.S. District Court in Southern Illinois, indicating ongoing legal actions related to the allegations. Moises A Sanabria has confessed to serving as an intermediary between a pharmaceutical distribution company based in India and customers in the United States. In addition, Jain is charged with one count of distribution of a controlled substance.
As per court documents, Sanabria received pills containing furanyl fentanyl and tapentadol from an Indian pharmaceutical drug distribution centre and had them shipped to New Jersey. Subsequently, he sent these orders directly to customers in the US.
Prosecutors have noted that Sanabria, on numerous occasions, shipped orders to undercover agents working for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in the Southern District of Illinois. It's important to note that both furanyl fentanyl and tapentadol are federally regulated under the Controlled Substances Act, with furanyl fentanyl classified under Schedule I and tapentadol under Schedule II.
Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Rehg, head of Drug Enforcement Administration enforcement operations in southern Illinois, said, “This man fooling people into thinking that pharmaceutical medications can be purchased without a prescription and mailed from India is not someone to buy anything from. Laundering his illegal proceeds back to India is just another example of how these international criminal organizations illegally profit off Americans.” To exchange currency between the US and India for drug proceeds, Sanabria established a limited liability company based in New York to transfer money. The LLC held and concealed US$114,334 in drug proceeds from January to October 2021, the Department of Justice said.
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