In a significant crackdown on the illicit drug trade, authorities in Prayagraj have registered First Information Reports (FIRs) against two local medical firms for their alleged involvement in the illegal purchase and sale of codeine-based cough syrup. The action follows a broader investigation triggered by the arrest of a key suspect last week.
STF Arrest Uncovers Interstate Network
The case came to light after the Special Task Force (STF) of the Uttar Pradesh police arrested a man identified as Amit Kumar Singh, alias Amit Tata. He was allegedly operating a major illegal network dealing in codeine-based cough syrups. Preliminary investigations suggest this network was not confined to one area but was spread across several districts and even multiple states.
Following this arrest, the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) headquarters issued a list of medical firms suspected of being involved. This list prompted coordinated action from drug administration officials in Prayagraj.
Raids Reveal Locked Offices, Missing Documents
Acting on the information, drug inspectors conducted raids on the premises of the implicated firms. Drug Inspector Santosh Kumar Patel provided details of the operation to the Times of India. He stated that when official teams reached the firms to check stocks and documentation, they faced significant obstacles.
"The firms were either found locked or failed to provide the required documents," Patel explained. In one instance, during a raid, the firm's office was closed. The proprietor contacted the inspector and claimed he was away in Delhi. Despite receiving formal notices, the proprietors and concerned authorities of these firms failed to appear for physical verification of their stock and the mandatory paperwork related to the syrup's sale and purchase.
FIRs Lodged Under NDPS Act
Consequently, the authorities moved to file formal police complaints. Two separate FIRs have been lodged under the stringent Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
One FIR was registered at the Puramufti police station against the proprietor of a firm identified as Mohd Saif from Shahganj. The second FIR was lodged at the Airport police station against Ahutosh Patel of Handia. Both have been charged under section 26 (d) of the NDPS Act for the misuse and sale of codeine-based syrup for non-medical purposes.
Officials from the food safety and drug administration are continuing their checks and raids at other medical firms named in the list, aiming to dismantle the entire supply chain of this illegal operation.
