Over 10,000 bottles of illegal cough syrup seized, 3 held

NEW DELHI: The Crime Branch of Delhi Police has busted an international illegal drug syndicate involved in supplying cough syrup 'Phensydyl' illegally in dry states of North Eastern India, as well as Bangladesh.

The city police seized a consignment of 10,600 bottles of cough syrup being supplied from Delhi to Malda in West Bengal, hidden in a container among electronic items.

The accused were identified as Ajay Kumar (49), Fantoosh Yadav (35) and Mukesh (38), who were arrested on the basis of a tip that members of an international illegal drug syndicate would come to Maa-Anandmai Marg, Okhla with the consignment in a container.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Bhisham Singh on Wednesday said that interrogation of the accused persons revealed that accused Ajay is the mastermind.

He used to procure Phensedyl syrup from his different sources in Delhi, Ghaziabad and Agra at large scale and used to stock the same at Okhla.

"In the present case, he had procured the bottles from one Kailash Gupta of Kailash Medicos, Model Town. He used to supply the consignment to his customer in Kolkata and Malda, after hiding it among other goods being transported from Delhi in connivance with transporters and his associate Mukesh," said Singh.

The consignment was being transported through the container of Sharma Transport, Faridabad, and was to be received by one Sharif for further distribution in North Eastern states of India and Bangladesh.

Police said that Phensedyl cough syrup is used for a cough, common cold, itchy throat/skin, allergy, rhinitis, mild to moderate pain and other conditions.

It also contains codeine phosphate, a narcotic drug which leads to addiction when used in large quantities over a period of time.

The syrup also has chlorpheniramine maleate, an anti-histaminic, in addition to codeine phosphate, which causes sedation.

Empty bottles of codeine phosphate cough syrups of different brands are often found in public places and tourist spots.