Mumbai Crime: Peddler held for selling Codeine Phosphate-based cough syrups

Photo for representational purpose

The Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) of Mumbai on Friday laid a trap and arrested a peddler involved in illegal supply of Codeine Phosphate-based cough syrups which are illegally used as drugs. The accused, identified as Asif Abdul Sattar Lakdiya alias Asif Takla, (44) was arrested from Pila house locality on Grant Road and 80 bottles of the syrup were recovered from him, states a report in India Today.

Further interrogation of Asif Takla led the ANC teams to a shop on Grant Road where they recovered 25 boxes containing Codeine Phosphate-based cough syrup bottles kept in ten gunny bags. A third location revealed by Takla, a shop in Pydhoni locality, was also raided a seizure of 35 boxes in 12 gunny bags containing the Codeine Phosphate-based cough syrups was made.

A total of 7120 bottles of Corex cough syrup containing Codeine Phosphate worth Rs 24.80 lakh were seized. Codeine Phosphate is a scheduled drug in NDPS and thus its misuse and illegal sale as a narcotic is punishable under NDPS ACT.

Continued abuse of Codeine Phosphate can lead to mental health, liver and kidney-related serious ailments and conditions in a person.

The arrested accused, Takla, as per ANC officials, was a leading supplier of Codeine Phosphate-based cough syrups in various areas of South Mumbai. Multiple measures have been taken by police to control the sale of Corex and other similar medicines but dealers like Takla have been evading agencies and have managed to supply the drug which has severe effects on people (if abused).

ANC officials said that continued abuse of Codeine Phosphate makes a person uncontrollable, with severe mood swings and anger issues along with high blood pressure and this also leads to rise in cases of assault and other related crimes.