Illegal cough syrup ‘smuggling’ racket busted in Odisha; three arrested

Odisha police on Tuesday busted an illegal cough syrup trafficking operation and seized 50 bottles of prohibited cough syrup during a raid in the Chudapalli area of Bolangir district. Three persons allegedly involved in the racket were arrested and later produced before a court, police said.

Sources reported that the arrests were made following specific intelligence inputs about the movement of an illegal consignment from Chudapalli. Acting on the information, police formed a special team and conducted a targeted operation, intercepting the accused while the consignment was being transported.

Interception Based On Intelligence Inputs

Patnagarh Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Sadananda Pujari said the operation was carried out under the direction of senior officers after credible information was received late at night.

“We received information last night about two youths arriving with a consignment of cough syrup from Chudapalli. Under the SP’s directions, we formed a team and intercepted them,” Pujari said.

During the interception, police seized 50 bottles of ‘S-Cough’ cough syrup from the spot. A motorcycle used for transportation and two mobile phones were also recovered during the operation.

Three Accused Identified, Arrested

The arrested persons have been identified as Subhash Meher of Kolpad under Patnagarh police limits, Bhaban Barik of Berhampur, and Rajesh Behera of Chudapalli village. Police said Rajesh Behera was allegedly involved in supplying the cough syrup, while the other two were transporting the consignment.

“Upon inspection, 50 bottles of cough syrup were found. Subhash Meher and Bhaban Barik were transporting the consignment, while Rajesh Behera was arrested for supplying it,” the SDPO said.

Sources added that all three accused were produced before the local court following their arrest. Police said further investigation is underway to ascertain the source of the cough syrup and to determine whether the accused are linked to a larger network involved in illegal pharmaceutical trafficking.

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Officials said action has been initiated under relevant sections of law, and efforts are ongoing to trace any additional persons connected to the racket.