LUCKNOW, Jan. 27 -- Uttar Pradesh Police claim to have cracked a critical piece of an interstate codeine cough syrup trafficking network with the arrest of Vikas Singh alias "Narve" and two others, who allegedly served as a coordinator between suppliers and smugglers operating across multiple states and across the border.

Singh was apprehended from Siddharthnagar district on Tuesday by a Varanasi police team. His name emerged repeatedly during the interrogation of several accused already in custody, with investigators describing him as the "organisational glue" connecting different layers of the syndicate.

Deputy commissioner of police, crime, Sarvanan T said that a lookout notice was issued against the three arrested accused. The accus...