Ahmedabad Police seize 5,050 cough syrup bottles worth ₹59.41 lakh in night crackdown
Synopsis
Ahmedabad's SOG pulled off one of the city's bigger postal drug intercepts — 5,050 bottles of banned cough syrup worth ₹59.41 lakh recovered from GPO parcels in a single night. With 2,000 personnel deployed, three NDPS cases filed, and 6,560 vehicles checked, the operation signals a sharper enforcement push against Gujarat's narcotics supply chain.
Key Takeaways
Ahmedabad Police seized 5,050 bottles of prohibited cough syrup worth ₹59.41 lakh from parcels at the General Post Office, Relief Road on 7–8 August .
The Special Operations Group (SOG) operated between 11 pm and 5 am , registering three cases under the NDPS Act .
Additional drug seizures included 216 grams of ganja from Vatva and 350 grams of ganja from Narol; three people arrested in total.
Police checked 6,560 vehicles , detained 80 for document violations, and filed 19 drink-driving cases.
The operation was led by Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gahlaut with around 2,000 personnel deployed.
A 21-year-old man found at Riverfront East in a suicidal state was counselled and safely reunited with his family.
Ahmedabad Police seized 5,050 bottles of prohibited cough syrup valued at ₹59.41 lakh during a sweeping overnight operation across the city on 7–8 August, with the consignment recovered from parcels at the General Post Office (GPO) on Relief Road, officials confirmed. The haul is among the largest single drug seizures reported from the city's postal network in recent months.
How the Operation Unfolded
The city police's Special Operations Group (SOG) conducted the night-round operation between 11 pm on 7 August and 5 am on 8 August, acting on orders to strengthen security and curb criminal activity. The prohibited cough syrup was one of three cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act during the operation.
In a separate NDPS case, the SOG arrested one person from the Vatva area after allegedly recovering 216 grams of ganja valued at ₹10,800; other items seized brought the total recovered property value in that case to ₹13,970. The Crime Branch also independently arrested two people from Narol with 350 grams of ganja valued at ₹17,500.
Scale of the Citywide Checks
Across Ahmedabad, police checked 6,560 vehicles through the night. A total of 80 vehicles were detained under Section 207 of the Motor Vehicles Act for lacking required documents or insurance, while illegally fitted black films were removed from 179 vehicles. Police registered 19 cases under Section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act against motorists accused of driving under the influence of alcohol.
The operation also yielded one case under the Gambling Act, six cases for violation of a notification under Section 135 of the Gujarat Police Act, and eight cases for violating the weapons prohibition notification under Section 135(1) of the same Act.
Liquor Seizures and Prohibition Cases
Under Gujarat's prohibition law, police registered 10 cases and seized 38 bottles of foreign liquor valued at ₹30,535. Other property seized in those cases was valued at ₹70,536, while six litres of country-made liquor worth ₹1,200 was also recovered. An additional eight cases were registered against individuals found to have consumed alcohol. Police also visited and inspected paan parlours and small shops across the city.
Other Highlights and Human Angle
During the operation, police checked 118 history-sheeters and MCR-listed individuals residing in different parts of Ahmedabad who had prior criminal records. Notably, during vehicle checking at Picnic House, Riverfront East, officers found a 21-year-old man who had reportedly gone there intending to attempt suicide. Police said questioning revealed he was in a state of depression; officers counselled him, contacted his family, and handed him over safely to his relatives.
The operation was conducted under the leadership of Ahmedabad City Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gahlaut, with two DCPs, one ACP, 10 police inspectors, seven police sub-inspectors, and approximately 2,000 police personnel participating. Authorities urged citizens to comply with traffic and legal norms and to take precautions for their own safety and that of others. Further investigation into the cough syrup consignment is ongoing.
Point of View
000 bottles of banned cough syrup from GPO parcels is a reminder that India's postal and courier network remains an under-policed conduit for narcotics. Gujarat's prohibition regime already creates a black market for alcohol; the cough syrup trade — driven by codeine-based formulations — adds a parallel layer that enforcement periodically disrupts but rarely dismantles. The scale of this single-night operation, with 2,000 personnel and 6,560 vehicles checked, reflects administrative intent, but the real question is whether the supply chain behind the GPO consignment — origin, distributor, intended recipient — will be traced and prosecuted, or whether the seizure remains a headline number without a conviction.
NationPress
8 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was seized in the Ahmedabad police night operation on 7–8 August?
Ahmedabad Police seized 5,050 bottles of prohibited cough syrup worth ₹59.41 lakh from parcels at the General Post Office on Relief Road, along with ganja, foreign liquor, and country-made liquor in separate cases. Three NDPS Act cases were registered during the operation.
Which police unit conducted the cough syrup seizure in Ahmedabad?
The city police's Special Operations Group (SOG) carried out the operation between 11 pm on 7 August and 5 am on 8 August, under the overall leadership of Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gahlaut.
How many people were arrested during the Ahmedabad night-round operation?
At least three people were arrested on drug-related charges — one from Vatva with 216 grams of ganja and two from Narol with 350 grams of ganja. Investigations into the cough syrup seizure are ongoing.
What other violations were detected during the Ahmedabad night crackdown?
Police checked 6,560 vehicles, detained 80 for document or insurance violations, removed black films from 179 vehicles, and filed 19 drink-driving cases. Ten prohibition cases, one gambling case, and multiple weapons-notification violations were also registered.
Why is prohibited cough syrup treated as a narcotic offence in India?
Many cough syrups contain codeine phosphate, a controlled substance under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Their sale without a valid prescription or in quantities beyond prescribed limits is a criminal offence, which is why the Ahmedabad seizure attracted NDPS charges.
