In a crackdown on narcotics supply networks, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 1.11 lakh bottles of Codeine-based cough syrup and arrested one person in separate operations in Tripura and West Bengal. The DRI officers intercepted a consignment on July 2 bound for Agartala, finding the contraband cleverly concealed inside metallic drums under a layer of powdery substance.
A total of 55,626 bottles of Codeine-based cough syrup were discovered in the first operation, with assistance from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Assam Rifles. Simultaneously, in another operation in West Bengal, 56,225 bottles were found hidden in iron drums at a warehouse in Dankuni. The bottles were concealed beneath china clay powder to avoid detection, emphasizing the abuse potential of such pharmaceutical preparations.
The seizures, totaling around 1.11 lakh bottles, underscore the ongoing efforts of smuggling syndicates to divert narcotic substances for illicit trafficking using innovative concealment methods. Codeine, a derivative of opium, is legitimately used in pharmaceutical products but is often targeted by traffickers due to its potential for misuse. The DRI reaffirmed its commitment to dismantling such networks through intelligence-driven operations.
