BHUBANESWAR: In a significant crackdown on contraband, the Odisha police dismantled a cough syrup distribution network in Balangir as part of their "Mission Cough Syrup" campaign.
The Bolangir Police detained up to 35 alleged "cough syrup mafia" participants. Police added that the arrested individuals had bottles of "Eskuf" cough syrup worth Rs 35 lakh that had been seized.
Sana Negi and Prashant Kheti were said to be the two main accused in the ring, according to the police. As part of "Operation Cough Syrup," a campaign against the cough syrup mafia, the Bolangir Police claimed to have busted an interstate organised racket on Sunday.
The Balangir Police are reported to have busted the biggest racket so far.
According to Balangir SP Nitin Kushalkar, the police busted the ring involved in the illegal purchase, transportation, and sale of eskuf syrup in Bolangir and the neighbouring district and destroyed the entire chain running from Bolangir to West Bengal. This was done on the basis of local and technical intelligence as well as pieces of evidence gathered during the investigation.
The manufacturer, according to the SP, is situated in Himachal Pradesh, and the business is officially registered in Haryana.
"The cough medicine was delivered to Kolkata and transported through a transporter to Cuttack. The defendant subsequently transports and supplies such to other state regions," he added.
They were also found to have 12,960 Eskuf Syrup bottles, a country-made gun, 17 mobile phones, a Mahindra XUV, two Mahindra Pick UP vehicles, a Tata ACE, two motorbikes, Rs 7,500 in cash, as well as gold jewellery and other items. An amount of Rs 2 crore belonging to the supplier company was also seized.
"The cough syrup mafia's method of operation is to gather and distribute them in the early morning, typically around 3 a.m., 4 a.m., and 5 a.m. Because of this, the cops had to pursue the racket around the clock. Sana Negi would soon be apprehended after Prashant Kheti was taken into custody, "the SP updated.
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