Man wanted in trafficking of codeine-based cough syrup held in UP

Sonbhadra (UP), Dec 17 (PTI) A 28-year-old man, wanted for allegedly trafficking codeine-based cough syrup, was on arrested in Uttar Pradesh's Sonbhadra on Wednesday, police said.

Superintendent of Police Abhishek Verma said the accused, Satyam Kumar (28), a resident of Gola Deenanath in the Varanasi commissionerate, was carrying a reward of Rs 10,000 on his head. He was arrested from Chandi Tiraha here.

Satyam allegedly obtained a drug licence in the name of "Maa Kripa Medical" by submitting forged experience certificates, affidavits and other documents to the drugs department after taking a rented house in Robertsganj police station area.

The SP said the firm was never set up at the stated location. However, purchases worth about Rs 6 crore of codeine-based Phensedyl cough syrup were shown in the firm's name from Shaili Traders, Ranchi, Jharkhand, operated by Bhola Prasad Jaiswal and his son Shubham Jaiswal.

The Jaiswals are the prime accused in the case.

The consignments were further shown as sold to bogus firms in Bhadohi-Ayush Enterprises, Sanaya Medical and Dilip Medical, which too were not found to be operational, he said.

Investigations revealed that money was routed from the Bhadohi firms' bank accounts to Shaili Traders, though no physical transportation of syrup bottles took place, the SP said.

During questioning, Satyam told police that the entire operation existed only on paper.

The police said that during the probe on October 18, two container trucks carrying 1,19,675 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup, valued at Rs 3.5 crore, were seized in the district.

Subsequently, 13,400 bottles were recovered in Ranchi and prohibited cough syrup worth Rs 3.40 crore was seized in Ghaziabad.

The alleged kingpin, Bhola Jaiswal, was arrested by Sonbhadra police from Kolkata airport while attempting to flee abroad and was also taken to Ranchi for further investigation into the supply chain Authorities are verifying financial transactions and money trails linked to the network of the codeine-based cough syrup case with the ED involved in parallel investigations.

As per FDSA officials the syrups fall under Schedule H and are legal if sold on a prescription, violations occur when large quantities are supplied without documentation, often facilitating their abuse as intoxicants.

FIRs have been lodged against 128 establishments across 28 districts under relevant sections of the BNS and the NDPS Act. PTI COR CDN NB NB