Three men were arrested for allegedly supplying codeine-based cough syrup illegally in dry states of northeast and Bangladesh, police said today.
The police also seized a consignment of 10,600 bottles of cough syrup being supplied from Delhi to Malda, West Bengal, hidden in a container among electronic items, they added.
Acting on a tip-off, Ajay Kumar (49), Fantoosh Yadav (35) and Muksesh (38), were nabbed near Maa-Anandmai Marg, Okhla on November 10 along with a consignment of 'Codeine' in a container, the police said.
Kumar tried to mislead the police and produced some documents related to transportation of electronic items and said that the container was loaded with the electronic items, they added.
It was found that the container had 53 parcels containing 200 bottles each, which were hidden behind the boxes of electronic items, Bhisham Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime), said.
Kumar used to procure the Phensedyl syrup from his sources based in Delhi, Ghaziabad and Agra at large scale and used to stock it at Okhla, he said.
He used to supply the consignment to his customers in Kolkata and Malda, West Bengal, after hiding it among other goods being transported from Delhi in connivance with transporters and his associate Mukesh.
The Phensedyl cough syrup is used for cough, common cold, itchy throat and skin, etc. It contains Codeine phosphate, which is a narcotic drug and causes addiction when used in large quantities over a period of time, the official said.
Since liquor is banned in some northeastern states of India and Bangladesh, the Phensedyl has become a popular alternative for alcohol, he said.
The price of a 100 ml bottle is Rs 127.50, but it is sold at a street price of Rs 800 to 900 in Bangladesh and northeast states of India.
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