New Delhi: The illegal storage and sale of codeine-based cough syrup have emerged as a major law-and-order issue in Uttar Pradesh, with authorities registering dozens of cases across the state. Parliamentary Affairs and Finance Minister Suresh Khanna said on Saturday that 74 cases have been registered, and 75 people have been arrested so far in connection with the racket, which has spread across 31 districts.
Investigations have revealed a large-scale illegal trade involving the diversion of legally manufactured codeine cough syrup into the black market. The syrup, which contains codeine as an opioid substance regulated due to its potential for abuse, was allegedly sold for non-medical use. While codeine-based medicines are permitted under prescription, officials say the controversy centres on their misuse as intoxicants.
According to officials, the illegal network extended beyond Uttar Pradesh and had links with Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Bihar, as well as cross-border connections with Bangladesh and Nepal. The accused allegedly used fake firms, forged Aadhaar cards, false GST documents, and dummy directors to carry out the trade and avoid detection.
Authorities also found that the syrup was transported in trucks concealed under legitimate goods such as food packets and sacks of rice. The scale of the operation came to light after massive recoveries during raids. In Varanasi alone, officials reportedly seized more than 2.23 crore bottles of codeine-based cough syrup. The total value of the seized stock has been estimated at over ₹100 crore.
SIT Probe Underway
Given the organised nature of the racket, the Uttar Pradesh government constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter. The SIT investigation has so far led to more than 120 FIRs and multiple arrests. A Varanasi-based pharmaceutical dealer, Shubham Jaiswal, along with his father, has been identified as a key accused in the case.
Akhilesh Yadav Targets Yogi Government:
Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav criticised the Yogi Adityanath government over the controversy, alleging that important facts were being hidden despite the registration of more than 118 FIRs across 36 districts. He claimed the illegal trade had been operating for a long time and questioned why strict action had not been taken earlier against those involved.
The government, meanwhile, maintains that the crackdown is ongoing, and that action is being taken against all those linked to illegal trade.
