Lucknow: In a joint operation on Friday, police and drug department officials dismantled an illegal narcotics racket operating from a cold drink shop near the Indo-Nepal border in Bahraich district. A history-sheeter was arrested after authorities seized codeine-laced cough syrup bottles during a raid.
Raids at Rupaidiha town
The operation was conducted at a cold drink shop situated near Kevalpur turn in Rupaidiha town, which lies adjacent to the Nepal border. The team, comprising drug inspector Vinay Krishna and Rupaidiha Station House Officer (SHO) Ramesh Singh Rawat, searched the premises and confiscated 15 bottles of 100-ml codeine-based cough syrup.
Accused identified as Om Prakash Soni
The accused, identified as Om Prakash Soni (50), a resident of Saketnagar, was taken into custody. Officials revealed that Soni is a listed history-sheeter with multiple criminal cases registered against him at various police stations.
SHO Ramesh Singh Rawat confirmed that an FIR has been filed against the accused under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. Further investigation is underway to trace the source of the contraband and possible links to larger networks.
