Vadodara Police Seize Codeine Cough Syrup and Tramadol Worth Rs 25.54 Lakh
Click to start listening
Synopsis
Vadodara's SOG has seized illegal Codeine cough syrup and Tramadol capsules worth Rs 25.54 lakh from a godown. The suspects were arrested, and investigations into the drug supply chain are ongoing.
Key Takeaways
- Vadodara SOG seizes Rs 25.54 lakh worth of drugs.
- Raid conducted on tip-off, leading to arrests.
- Illegal drugs were stored in a rented godown.
- Suspects operated pharmacies and sold to addicts.
- Ongoing investigations into the drug supply network.
Vadodara, March 16 (NationPress) The Special Operations Group (SOG) in Vadodara, Gujarat, has confiscated a significant amount of Codeine-based cough syrup and Tramadol capsules valued at Rs 25.54 lakh from a warehouse.
Acting on a tip-off, the SOG conducted raids at the homes of the suspects, Vipul Rajput and Keyur Rajput, resulting in the recovery of cough syrup worth Rs 7.89 lakh. Subsequently, the police secured a six-day remand for the accused.
During questioning, the suspects disclosed the location of a rented warehouse, prompting another raid where authorities seized a substantial stash of illegal codeine syrup and Tramadol capsules amounting to Rs 25.54 lakh.
This warehouse, situated at Palm Exotica near Shri Por Timbi village in Waghodia, had been rented just eight days earlier.
The SOG is actively investigating the origins of this contraband and its intended targets. Vipul Rajput runs Auckland Pharmacy, while Keyur Rajput operates Maa Medical Store. The two were storing illegal stock at Vipul's home and selling it covertly to addicts. To evade capture, they made deliveries using two-wheelers and modified the labels on the medicine bottles.
The police are extending their investigation into the supply chain and any potential accomplices involved in this illicit drug operation.
Gujarat has seen a worrying increase in the illegal distribution of codeine-based cough syrups in recent years. For instance, in June 2018, a joint effort by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Gujarat Food and Drugs Control Administration (FDCA) resulted in the seizure of over 42,000 bottles of Safecod Cough Syrup containing codeine phosphate. The largest confiscation occurred at a warehouse near the Rajpur bus stand in Patan, where 37,198 bottles were recovered.
Investigations indicated that the suspect had reportedly sourced the drug from a manufacturer in Himachal Pradesh and was distributing it unlawfully across the state.
In September 2020, another operation by the FDCA and the Gujarat Police's State Monitoring Cell discovered 4,942 bottles of codeine-based cough syrups in Bavla, valued at around Rs 5.72 lakh, being sold without prescriptions. The main suspect, a former medical store owner whose license had been revoked due to similar issues, was caught stockpiling and selling these syrups illegally.
In a more recent case, in March 2024, the Local Crime Branch of Morbi Police seized 90,000 bottles of codeine-infused cough syrup worth Rs 1.84 crore. These syrups had been trafficked from Jharkhand to Gujarat, hidden in rice bags, and were meant for distribution throughout the Saurashtra region. Three individuals were apprehended, while three others remain at large.
