Another Cough Syrup Racket Busted; Over 4,000 Bottles Seized & 17 Arrested In Odisha’s Bargarh

Bargarh: In another operation against smuggling of cough syrup, which is used as an intoxicant, police have seized more than 4,000 bottles and arrested 17 persons in this connection in Odisha’s Bargarh town.

Speaking to media on the operation on Monday, Bargarh SP Prahalad Sahai Meena said the Town police station was informed from reliable sources about illegal trade of cough syrup at Old Reserve Police Square in the afternoon.

A police team went to the spot and carried out a raid on the place. During the raid, the team seized 4,475 bottles of cough syrup from a pick-up van. They also arrested 17 persons and seized the van, a car and bike from their possession.

During questioning, the arrested persons admitted their involvement in smuggling the cough syrup bottles and selling those as sedative in the local market, the SP said.

In another raid in the town on July 6, the police had seized around 500 bottles of cough syrup and 1200 sedative injections and arrested one person.

Similarly, 1,349 bottles of cough syrup worth Rs 4 lakh were seized and two persons arrested in Paikamal of the district on June 24.

On May 26, around 1200 bottles of cough syrup were seized while being transported illegally and 3 persons arrested in this connection in neighbouring Balangir district.