Vadodara SOG seizes illegal cough syrup worth Rs 5.78 lakh, two arrested

Vadodara, March 15 (IANS) In a crackdown on illegal drug trafficking, the Special Operations Group (SOG) raided a residence in Vadodara and seized a cache of codeine-based cough syrup worth Rs 5.78 lakh.

Two suspects, Vipul Satishbhai Rajput, and Keyur Rajput, were apprehended during the operation.

Acting on a tip-off, the SOG team conducted a raid at Ratilal Park near Kaladarshan Crossroad, where the accused had been storing and selling the contraband. The authorities discovered 2,570 bottles of cough syrup, each containing 100 ml, with and without stickers. The operation also led to the seizure of empty boxes, mobile phones, cash, and a vehicle, bringing the total value of the confiscated items to Rs 7.89 lakh.

An FIR has been registered against both suspects under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at the Pani Gate police station.

Notably, Keyur Rajput already had a prior NDPS case filed against him at the Bhalaj police station in Anand.

In recent years, Gujarat has witnessed several significant seizures of illegal codeine-based cough syrup, highlighting a growing concern over the misuse of such medications. In June 2018, a joint operation by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Food and Drugs Control Administration (FDCA) led to the confiscation of over 42,000 bottles of Safecod Cough Syrup in Patan.

Valued at approximately Rs 52 lakh, this seizure was one of the largest in the state. The syrup, containing codeine phosphate, was illegally stocked in a godown near Rajpur bus stand.

Investigations revealed that the suspect had procured the drug from a manufacturer in Himachal Pradesh and had already sold around 12,900 bottles illegally. In September 2020, the FDCA and the State Monitoring Cell of Gujarat Police seized 4,942 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup worth Rs 5.72 lakh in Bavla. The syrups, classified as Schedule H drugs requiring a prescription, were being sold on the black market.

The operation uncovered stocks in both a godown and a residential apartment, leading to the booking of two individuals under the NDPS Act.

More recently, in March 2024, the Local Crime Branch of Morbi police seized 90,000 bottles of codeine-laced cough syrup, valued at Rs 1.84 crore. The syrup had been trafficked from Jharkhand and was intended for distribution across the Saurashtra region.

–IANS

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