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In a significant crackdown on the illegal trade of banned substances, police in Maharashtra's Thane district have seized 238 bottles of a prohibited codeine-based cough syrup valued at Rs 53,550, officials confirmed on Sunday.
According to PTI reports, law enforcement authorities intercepted a 22-year-old man riding a motorcycle in Sibli Nagar, located in the Shil Daighar area, on Friday afternoon. Upon conducting a routine check, officers discovered that the suspect was illegally transporting the contraband syrup in two large boxes.
An official from the Shil-Daighar police station stated that the individual, who is a cab driver by profession, was apprehended on the spot, and the illicit goods were seized. Alongside the banned cough syrup, the police also confiscated his two-wheeler, Rs 1,800 in cash, and a mobile phone as part of the operation.
The suspect has been booked under multiple legal provisions, including the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, PTI reports. These laws regulate and restrict the production, distribution, and possession of controlled drugs in India.
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In a separate case of 2024, Mumbai Crime Branch has arrested 36 individuals, including six women, for allegedly running fraudulent call centres in Jogeshwari and Goregaon. These rackets primarily targeted foreign nationals, luring them into purchasing banned medicines such as Viagra, Tramadol, Cialis, and Levitra. Additionally, some members of the group defrauded Indian citizens by offering fake loans and falsely promising to improve their CIBIL scores.
Units 10 and 12 of the Mumbai Crime Branch conducted the raids, uncovering a well-organised scam that operated through internet voice calls. According to Vishal Thakur, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Detection-1, the accused manipulated international customers into buying non-existent pharmaceutical products via online platforms. During the raid, police seized 35 pieces of equipment, including laptops and mobile phones, along with other crucial evidence linking the suspects to the illicit operation.
Unit 10 arrested individuals connected to two fraudulent firms, Gate Pharma LLP and All Win Info Media Pvt Ltd, which posed as legitimate pharmaceutical companies to scam international clients. Meanwhile, Unit 12 apprehended suspects involved in similar frauds, including those who deceived Indian citizens with fake loan schemes.
(With inputs from PTI)
