Sundergarh: In a major crackdown on illegal narcotics, the Sundergarh Town Police on Sunday arrested four persons for allegedly smuggling and selling codeine-based cough syrup to local youth near the Sundergarh Truck Owners’ Association office, police said on Monday.
The accused have been identified as Hemant of Lephripara, Dharani Bagarti of Khamarbahal village, and Jitendra Kishan and Jambeswar, both residents of Ujalpur. All four were produced in court on Monday.
Acting on an intelligence input, the police intercepted a Bolero vehicle suspected to be transporting banned substances. A joint team comprising the Town Police and patrolling units conducted a search near the Truck Owners’ Association premises and recovered 235 bottles of codeine phosphate-based cough syrup (100 ml each), commonly abused as an intoxicant.
“The seized cough syrup is meant strictly for therapeutic use and requires a valid medical prescription. However, the accused were selling it illegally to local youths as a narcotic substance. Each bottle, procured for Rs 75, was being sold for Rs 300,” said Sundergarh SDPO Nirmal Kumar Mohapatra while speaking to reporters.
In addition to the syrup, police seized the vehicle used in transportation, Rs 46,754 in cash, and four mobile phones from the possession of the accused. The entire operation was carried out in the presence of an Executive Magistrate.
A case has been registered under Case No. 407 at the Sundergarh Town Police Station under Sections 21(c), 25, and 29 of the NDPS Act, and further investigation is underway.
The SDPO added that this action was part of ‘Operation Prahar’, an ongoing statewide initiative against drug trafficking. “The Odisha Police has adopted a zero-tolerance approach and such operations will continue across the district,” he said.
