Trio caught for transporting contraband syrup from Gujarat to Mumbai
According to the Anti-Narcotics Cell, the cough syrup’s contents include Codeine Phosphate and is not available without a prescription.
Three people, who were arrested by the Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) of the Mumbai Crime Branch in Kurla on Wednesday for transporting 663 bottles of cough syrup from Gujarat to Maharashtra, were produced before the court on Thursday and have been remanded into police custody.
All three are residents of Kurla and have been identified as Asha alias Namrata Dilip Kadam, 32, Ramu Arum Nair, 22, and Mohd Shakeel alias Guddu Sharafat Husain Ansari, 49. According to Deputy Commissioner of police, ANC, Shivdeep Lande, the accused were arrested at CST road in Kurla on a tip off received by the Ghatkopar unit of the ANC.
The cough syrup, whose contents include Codeine Phosphate, is not available without a prescription. An ANC official said that the quantity of cough syrup bottles found in their possession was not of commercial quality, and is worth Rs32 lakh. Investigations are underway to determine where they acquired the drugs from.
Asha’s husband was recently released from jail after being arrested for peddling the drug, and Guddu has been previously arrested for selling drugs.
A FIR has been registered against them under sections 8 (c), 22, and 29 of the NDPS (Narcotic Drug and Psychotropic Substances) Act. Most of their customers are slum dwellers or young students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.