Manipur Police seize 730 bottles of codeine phosphate syrup; one arrested

Thoubal (Manipur) [India], February 22 (ANI): Manipur Police arrested a man in Thoubal district on Saturday and confiscated 730 bottles of Codeine Phosphate Syrup from his residence.
The man has been identified as Anash (29) of Lilong Tharaorok under Lilong-PS, Thoubal district.
Earlier, a joint team of North Tripura Police and the GST Enforcement Wing, North Tripura, seized a large consignment of contraband codeine-based cough syrup and arrested two persons at the Churaibari Sales Tax Gate.
Acting on specific intelligence, the enforcement teams intercepted a truck bearing registration number WB 53 M 8596 at around 4:00 pm on January 7, on suspicion of carrying illegal items.
In accordance with due legal procedures, and in the presence of a magistrate and independent witnesses, the vehicle was thoroughly searched.
During the operation, officials recovered 12,600 bottles of Eskuf, a codeine-based cough syrup, from the truck. The seized consignment is estimated to be worth Rs. 1.26 crore in the illegal market.
The vehicle's driver and helper, identified as Panjab Sheikh and Based Sheikh, both residents of Murshidabad district, West Bengal, were taken into custody in connection with the seizure.
Additionally, the Varanasi police also took significant action in a case related to the illicit trade of cough syrup, freezing eight immovable assets worth nearly Rs 31 crore belonging to the main accused, Bhola Jaiswal, and others.
According to Neetu Kadyan, Assistant Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP), Varuna Zone, the assets were frozen under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
The case was registered against Bhola Jaiswal, his son Shubham Jaiswal, and others in November last year, after a large quantity of cough syrup was recovered from their possession. The police investigation revealed that Bhola Jaiswal was the mastermind behind the illicit trade. The ADCP stated that eight immovable assets owned by Bhola Jaiswal have been identified and frozen as part of the action taken under Section 68(f) of the NDPS Act. (ANI)