Thane, Feb 2 (PTI) Police have arrested five persons for illegally possessing a large number of bottles of two banned cough syrups valued at Rs 31.75 lakh in Thane district of Maharashtra, an official said.
These narcotic-laced cough syrups are often misused for intoxication, posing a serious public health hazard.
The accused were in possession of the drugs despite knowing that their sale was prohibited without proper authorisation, police said.
Based on a tip, the five persons were apprehended in Bhiwandi town on January 31, an official from Narpoli police station said.
The crime branch sleuths police seized 17,640 bottles of the cough syrups, having codeine phosphate (a type of opiate) and other chemicals. They were stored in 147 boxes and were intended for illegal sale, he said.
“We are probing from where the accused obtained the stock and to whom they intended to sell it. Further arrests may follow as we uncover the larger supply chain,” the official said.
A case has been registered against the five persons, in the age group of 24 to 45 years, under relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, he said. PTI COR GK
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