Sambalpur: Ahead of Holi, police have recently busted an illegal cough syrup racket and arrested 26 persons in this connection in Odisha’s Sambalpur.
According to police sources, a truck carrying cough syrup bottles was on the way to Sambalpur, Bargarh and Sonepur from West Bengal when it was intercepted by a team from Sambalpur Sadar police station.
On searching the truck, the police found 10,800 cough syrups bottles. After the occupants of the truck including the driver failed to furnish necessary documents, the police seized the bottles.
Following investigation, the police arrested 26 persons involved in running the racket of procuring the cough syrup by illegal means from outside the state and supplying those in western Odisha districts, Sambalpur SP Mukesh Kumar Bhamoo told the media.
An autorickshaw, a Scooty, a Royal Enfield bike, 12 mobile phones and Rs 20,000 in cash have also been seized from the accused persons, he added.
Many persons of the 26 arrested have criminal cases against them. One of them is Sushanta Nag who has four criminal cases against him in Bargarh Town police station. Others include Manish Sahu, Suman Ranbira, Shyam Tandi, Santkirtan Munda and Abdul Kadir. They were arrested in cough syrup smuggling cases earlier too and are currently out on bail, the SP said.
“The gang becomes active during festival season. They smuggle cough syrup from neighbouring states and sell those openly in Odisha,” he added.
During Durga Puja last year too, Sambalpur police had arrested 35 people involved in illegal cough syrup trade.
