BARGARH: In another significant crackdown on illegal drug trade, Bargarh Town police seized a massive cache of codeine-laced cough syrup bottles and sedative tablets during an early morning raid in Bisipada area on Saturday.
Acting on intelligence inputs, a team led by sub-inspector Alok Kumar Mahalik raided a location and apprehended three persons allegedly involved in the illegal trade. It led to recovery of 1,970 sealed bottles of Wincerex and Eskuf cough syrup, commonly misused for intoxication besides 1,000 Nitrosun tablets, a sedative regulated under the NDPS Act. Police also seized two mobile phones, and two two-wheelers. used for transportation The three arrested were identified as Uttam Sindria (26), Ritik Gartia (22) and Rohit Gartia (26).
During investigation, police found that accused Uttam is a history-sheeter with eight previous cases registered against him under Town police limits. Rohit has two prior cases, while Ritik Gartia has no past criminal antecedents.
A case has been registered under sections 111/61 (2)/3 (5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 21 (b) and 29 of the NDPS Act, said SDPO,0 P Tripathy. Police said further investigation is underway to identify the source of the contraband and bust the larger network behind the illicit supply chain.
On Monday, Town Police had arrested seven individuals and seized 2,171 bottles of cough syrup during a pre-dawn raid in the same area.