Two held for selling codeine inside cough syrup bottles

Navi Mumbai: The Anti Narcotics Cell (ANC), Navi Mumbai, has arrested two people for allegedly trying to sell codeine phosphate drugs inside cough syrup bottles

Navi Mumbai: The Anti Narcotics Cell (ANC), Navi Mumbai, has arrested two people for allegedly trying to sell codeine phosphate drugs inside cough syrup bottles. They seized 455 bottles valued at ₹70,000 in the market from the duo.

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The accused, identified as Asma Shiraj Syed (39) and Dilshad Mohammad Nizamuddin Shaikh (20), were travelling in an autorickshaw to Govandi when they were intercepted at Killa junction in Belapur and arrested.

“We had received a tip-off about the duo who were planning to sell the cough syrup in Govandi and accordingly, we laid a trap and nabbed them. All the recovered bottles with label ‘Maxcoff’ were found containing codeine phosphate which is a manufactured drug under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act,” senior police inspector Basit Ali Sayyed from Anti Narcotics Cell, Navi Mumbai, said.

The police are now investigating where the syrup was manufactured and from whom did the accused purchase it and who was to take the delivery. “The auto driver in the case had no idea what they were carrying. They had hired the auto from Ulwe and had fixed the trip to Govandi for ₹800. We suspect that they could have got the syrup from someone in Ulwe and we are investigating further,” the officer added.

The case has been registered with CBD Belaur police station under sections 22 (punishment for contravention in relation to psychotropic substances), 29 (punishment for abetment and criminal conspiracy) and 8C (knowingly acquire, possess or use any property which was derived from an offence committed under this act) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.