Cough syrup racket busted in Odisha’s Sambalpur; 20 arrested, 5100 bottles seized

In a major crackdown against narcotics smuggling, Sambalpur Police have busted a large-scale illegal cough syrup trading racket, official sources said on Tuesday.

Also Read: Cough syrup worth over Rs 1 Crore seized in Odisha; illicit supply chain busted

Acting on a late-night tip-off, Bareipali Police intercepted a pickup van near Mesinkata Chhak and seized around 5,100 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup — a substance often misused as a narcotic.

The consignment was being illegally transported from Cuttack to Sambalpur in a pickup van and a car. A total of 20 individuals have been arrested in connection with the case, and further investigations are underway to trace at least four more suspects.

Police have also seized Rs 40,920 in cash and five high-end mobile phones from the accused. The estimated market value of the seized cough syrup is approximately Rs 15 lakh. The entire operation, police revealed, was being managed using UPI-based payments, making it difficult to track transactions.

The cough syrup, sourced from drug peddlers in Cuttack, was being distributed to retail-level narcotics dealers across Sambalpur and other districts of western Odisha.

According to official sources, the demand for such substances typically spikes during festival seasons, when prices can double.

Further investigations indicate that the racket was being operated in a structured chain — from city-based suppliers to small-town peddlers, who had paid in advance for specific quantities. The syrups were delivered in sacks and sold discreetly.

Sambalpur SP Mukesh Kumar Bhamoo stated that the property of the drug peddlers will be seized, and a case has been registered under the NDPS Act. Efforts are on to identify the kingpins in Cuttack, to whom the payments were made via UPI, through one Lokesh Pradhan and intermediary key accused Chandra Sekhar Nayak.

The accused have been produced in court, and more arrests are likely. Police say that though cough syrup is legally used for treating cold and cough, its codeine content is being misused by youth as a recreational drug. The menace is growing across western Odisha, and officials have warned of intensified crackdowns in the coming days.

“A case (No-195/2025) has been registered at Bareipali Police Station under the NDPS Act. Keeping in mind the (illegal) trading of cough syrup during the ongoing festive season in Odisha and acting on the directives of the State government, surprise raids are underway. The Government has been giving priority to curb the illegal trade,” the SP said.

“We have arrested 20 persons in connection with this case, and seized a pick-up van and a sedan car. The smugglers had plans to sell the cough syrup bottles to the small and marginal retailers in different localities,” Sambalpur SP added while briefing in a presser.