Bhavesh Lathiya, the 37-year-old founder of Surat-based Raxuter Chemicals, has been sentenced to 54 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Pamela K. Chen in Brooklyn on September 2. Also known as Bhavesh Patel, Bhavesh Bhai, and Bhavesh Lathia, the Surat, Gujarat resident pleaded guilty in April 2026 to smuggling and distributing fentanyl precursor chemicals with the knowledge that they would be used to manufacture fentanyl. Alongside his prison sentence, Lathiya was ordered to forfeit $24,560 and faces deportation upon completion of his sentence, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
Smuggling Operations and False Labeling:
Through Raxuter Chemicals, Lathiya supplied over 50 pounds of precursor materials necessary for manufacturing fentanyl via standard production methods to the United States and Mexico. The company utilized international mail and package carriers for delivery, employing false customs documents and labels to evade detection. Court filings highlighted a specific shipment delivered on or about June 29, 2024, to the Eastern District of New York; although labeled as Vitamin C, the package actually contained 1-boc-4-piperidone, a List I chemical utilized in fentanyl production.
Undercover Negotiations and Cartel Supply Chains:
Lathiya further negotiated the sale of fentanyl precursors during video calls with an undercover Homeland Security Investigations officer on October 2 and October 15, 2024. During these communications, after the undercover officer noted that buyers in Mexico were pleased with prior shipments, Lathiya agreed to sell 20 kilograms of 1-boc-4-piperidone while recommending that it be mislabeled as an antacid. On or about November 23, 2024, Lathiya and Raxuter Chemicals proceeded to ship approximately 20 kilograms of the chemical to the Eastern District of New York under the false antacid label. U.S. authorities note that Mexican drug trafficking organizations, such as the Sinaloa Cartel, have increasingly relied on precursor chemicals sourced from companies operating in nations including India and China.
