Another Cough Syrup Racket Busted In Odisha’s Balangir, 18 Arrested

Bhubaneswar: Balangir Police on Monday busted another cough syrup racket with the arrested of 18 persons from three districts of Odisha under a special operation launched in February this year.

Over 1700 bottles of cough syrups, two expensive cars, three motorcycles and 17 mobile phones have been seized from their possession during a raid in Sudapada area of the district following a tip-off. Among the arrested are two traders from Cuttack, sources said, adding that efforts were on to nab them for past few weeks.

At least 38 people were arrested in the district in March this year for their alleged involvement in an inter-state cough syrup transportation racket. A total of 12,960 bottles of the Eskuf syrup worth Rs 35 lakh, one country-made pistol, three cars, two motorcycles, 17 mobile phones, cash and other incriminating articles were seized. Bank accounts of more than Rs 50 crore of two pharmaceutical companies in Haryana and Kolkata for manufacturing and supplying cough syrups, were also freezed.

A month later, three persons were arrested for supplying banned cough syrup at Khaprakhol in Balangir district. 476 bottles of cough syrup were seized from them.

In June, five persons were arrested for running a similar racket during a raid on the house of Anil Nial in Pacher village under Khaparakhol police station in Patnagarh sub-division.