LUCKNOW, Dec. 3 -- The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) on Tuesday arrested dismissed Uttar Pradesh police constable Alok Pratap Singh, 46, a suspected key facilitator in the multi-crore Codeine syrup trafficking network spread across multiple states and nations, confirmed senior police officials in a press note shared by the STF on Tuesday. Alok Pratap Singh had been absconding for a long time. They said the probe so far uncovered evidence suggesting Singh acted as an operator, protector, and facilitator of the illegal syndicate that supplied Codeine-based cough syrup across states and potentially to neighbouring countries. A senior STF official said Singh had reportedly applied for surrender before a Lucknow court, but STF teams backed by technical surveillance and precise intelligence intercepted him before he could reach the court premises. He said raids were carried out at his possible hideouts after issuing the lookout circular on Monday. Investigators say after several arrests in the Codeine diversion case, Alok Pratap Singh was actively exploring options to flee India. His long-standing connections in police force, real estate circles, and among political figures position him as a crucial link in understanding how Codeine supply chain managed to operate at such scale and with such protection. The STF press note said Alok Pratap Singh's involvement surfaced on the basis of information extracted from Amit Kumar Singh alias Amit Tata arrested by the STF on November 27. Amit Tata, another prominent handler in the same illegal Codeine network, was arrested from his hideout in Gomti Nagar, Lucknow. His arrest triggered political tremors after multiple photographs surfaced showing him with ex-MP Dhananjay Singh, who later denied any involvement, calling the images a "conspiracy" and publicly demanded a CBI investigation into the Codeine trade. He said it is believed Singh could provide crucial information about Dubai-based operatives connected to the racket, real estate investments used to channel illegal money, fake firms and sleeper networks that enabled large-scale diversion as well as the identities of high-profile individuals who may have shielded the syndicate. Investigators say they are particularly interested in uncovering the role of "white-collar enablers" who allegedly helped the network flourish. Given the suspected financial footprint of the racket estimated to exceed over Rs.100 crore, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is preparing to join the investigation. Alok Pratap Singh's name has appeared in high-profile criminal cases for nearly two decades. He was one of the seven accused, which included five policemen, in the sensational 11 kilogram gold loot from an employee of Prayagraj businessman in Lucknow's Ashiana area in September 2006. Though the sessions court later acquitted all of them citing lack of evidence, the case tainted his service record. Other accused included sub-inspectors Santosh Singh, Brijnath Yadav and constables Sushil Pachauri, Santosh Tiwari, and civilians Neeraj Gupta and Subhash. After the 2006 episode, both Alok Pratap Singh and Sushil Pachauri were dismissed from service, though Singh later secured reinstatement through court orders. Allegations of robbery and extortion followed during his posting in the Naka area, prompting disciplinary action. Later, his name surfaced during the investigation in sensational murders of two chief medical officers of family welfare-Dr Vinod Arya and Dr BP Singh-in Lucknow on October 27, 2010 and April 2, 2011 respectively as well as in mysterious death of one of the co-accused in murder of both the CMOs, deputy CMO of family welfare, Dr YS Sachan inside Lucknow jail on June 22, 2011. His involvement, however, was not proved in the matter. In 2019, the then SSP Kalanidhi Naithani dismissed him again after Singh and his associates were accused of assaulting representatives of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari in Hazratganj. A large, organised racket diverted legally manufactured Codeine-based cough syrups into illicit, non-medical channels across multiple Indian states and beyond, using shell companies, forged documents and protected supply routes. Authorities estimate the racket moved tens of lakhs of bottles with a street/consignment value in over Rs.100-crore range. Major seizures and targeted arrests from October-November 2025 sparked a widening probe led by the Uttar Pradesh STF and state drug regulators. Investigators allege the syndicate diverted 89 lakh bottles of Codeine syrup between 2023-2025, valued at around Rs.100 crore. A major seizure of 1.19 lakh bottles was made near Sonbhadra on 18 Oct 2025. Other large hauls (1.5 lakh bottles seized in Ghaziabad) followed as the probe expanded. The UP Police arrested key operatives-Amit Kumar Singh (alias Amit Tata) and Bhola Prasad, the father of the alleged kingpin Shubham Jaiswal, who is believed to be operating the nexus from Dubai. He reportedly operated via front firms ( "Shaili Traders" registered to his father) and is named at the centre of investigative FIRs. His father Bhola Prasad was arrested from Kolkata on Sunday while trying to leave the country. Amit Kumar Singh alias Amit Tata, a resident of Jaunpur, was an operational handler and regional operative and he was described as a major logistics/handling node within the syndicate while Alok Pratap Singh is alleged to have protected and facilitated syndicate activity....