Bhubaneswar: Odisha Police have intensified their crackdown on the smuggling and trade of narcotic-laced cough syrup, launching a series of coordinated operations across the state that have resulted in major seizures and arrests.
Over the past few days, police teams registered 61 cases and confiscated a massive 73,181 bottles of the addictive cough syrup, dealing a strong blow to the illicit network involved in the trade. A total of 181 individuals have been arrested in connection with these cases.
The Special Task Force (STF) in Bhubaneswar led the statewide drive, recovering the largest haul of 26,658 bottles. In western Odisha, Sambalpur police registered 13 cases and seized 19,908 bottles, while Bargarh district followed with 17 cases and 12,856 bottles. Balangir police recovered 5,468 bottles across 12 cases, Subarnapur police seized 451 bottles in six cases, Boudh police recovered 1,886 bottles from four cases, and Sundargarh police registered three cases with a seizure of 595 bottles.
The crackdown also resulted in sizeable arrests. Sambalpur topped the list with 66 people taken into custody, followed by Bargarh with 64 arrests. Balangir reported 23 arrests, Subarnapur seven, Sundargarh six, and Keonjhar another six, signalling the wide reach of the trafficking network now being dismantled.
Director General of Police Yogesh Bahadur Khurania praised the coordinated efforts of district police units and the STF, terming the operations a significant step in curbing narcotics smuggling in the state. He affirmed that similar intensive drives will continue and warned that stringent action awaits those involved in the illegal trade.
