Bhubaneswar/Cuttack, Aug 1: In a major crackdown on illegal pharmaceutical trade, the Odisha Crime Branch’s Special Task Force (STF) seized a massive cache of codeine-based cough syrup from two courier hubs in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. Besides, one person has bee detained in connection with the case.

According to reports, a 15-member team, acting on reliable inputs, conducted a raid at a building in New LIC Colony near Badambadi in Cuttack. During the raid, the officials seized at least 60 cartons of cough syrups.

Similarly, 13,500 bottles worth Rs 52.78 lakh were seized from Bhubaneswar. Each bottle was priced at Rs 1,999.

Sources said that the seized cough syrups contain Codeine Phosphate, a narcotic substance regulated under the NDPS Act, making its sale without a medical prescription strictly prohibited.

Officials suspect the syrups were intended for unauthorised sale and abusive consumption, and are probing possible inter-state links in the supply chain.

read more Odisha News