Police arrests 32 people in connection with cough syrup racket in Odisha

Thirty-two people were arrested in Odisha's Sambalpur district on Monday after police busted a racket that dealt in codeine-laced cough syrups, officials said.

Acting on a tip-off, personnel of the Dhanupali, Ainthapali and Sadar police stations raided a shop near Jhankarpada and seized 5,400 bottles of banned cough syrups. Six people were arrested from the spot, they said.

These cough syrups contained codeine phosphate, a derivative of opium, and is a psychotropic substance, Sambalpur Sadar's sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Pradip Kumar Sahu said.

During interrogation, those arrested told the police that they regularly procure these cough syrups from Kolkata and supply those to drug peddlers in Sambalpur town, he said.

With the help of a diary that was seized from one of the accused persons, 26 people were arrested. They were planning to sell the cough syrup during Dussehra, police said.

Along with those arrested, police also seized Rs 12,000 in cash and two motorcycles.

Besides being addictive, these cough syrups are cheaper than alcohol, because of which it is consumed, mainly by poor people who want to get high.