Ahmedabad SOG Seizes 5,050 Codeine Syrup Bottles, Books Pharma Firms Under NDPS Act

The Ahmedabad Special Operations Group (SOG) has seized 5,050 bottles of Codeine Phosphate-based cough syrup and registered a case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act against a suspected unlicensed supplier and a recipient company based in Mizoram. Officials said the action followed information received by the SOG regarding the alleged distribution of Codeine Phosphate-based cough syrup to several states in North India. The supplier was reportedly operating without the required licence.

According to SOG ACP SS Ninama, investigators traced one of the consignments to a company in Mizoram. During the probe, the recipient firm was also found to be operating without the necessary licence. The investigation found that the company had sent consignments to a firm in Mizoram, which did not have a valid licence, Ninama said. Based on the findings, authorities registered a case against both the company that dispatched the medicines and the recipient firm under the NDPS Act.

The seized cough syrup was found packed in 34 cartons, with a total of 5,050 bottles recovered during the operation. The Ahmedabad Crime Branch has now expanded the investigation to uncover the alleged distribution network. Officials are examining how long the companies had been involved in the activity, whether other individuals or firms were part of the operation, and how widely the syrup may have been distributed across different states.

The SOG has identified Hiren Kantilal Patel and Parsh Vora as the owners of the company allegedly involved in supplying the syrup. However, investigators are continuing to examine the possible involvement of other people and entities linked to the supply chain. Authorities are also working to establish the source of the medicines and determine the total quantity of Codeine Phosphate-based syrup that may have been supplied to other parts of the country. Further investigation is underway, with the Crime Branch examining the case under the relevant provisions of the NDPS Act.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from ANI.