Lucknow: In a sweeping state-wide operation, the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) of Uttar Pradesh has launched its biggest action yet against the illegal trade of codeine-based cough syrups and NRx (narcotic) category medicines. Acting under the directives of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as part of the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, officers uncovered a large-scale interstate drug distribution network involving unauthorized storage, illegal sales, and diversion of controlled medicines.
FSDA has filed FIRs against 98 operators and firms across the state for allegedly selling cough syrup as a narcotic substance. Major districts involved include Varanasi, Jaunpur, Lucknow, Kanpur, among others. According to officials, these syrups were being diverted from legitimate medical supply chains and sold illegally for recreational drug use without any records or prescription support.
Illegal Supply Chain Exposed
During intensive raids conducted on 28 and 29 November, the Drug Control Department identified 11 medical establishments linked to suspicious supply routes involving products from Abbott Healthcare, Laboret Pharmaceuticals, and Three-B Healthcare. These establishments have been booked under the NDPS Act and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023.
Prominent names booked include:
Jaunpur
- Vanya Enterprise (Vishat Upadhyay)
- Akash Medical Store (Akash Maurya)
- Manish Medical Store (Arun Sonkar)
- Shivam Medical Store (Shivam Kumar Maurya)
Bhadohi
- Rajendra & Sons (Anshik Gupta)
- Dilip Medical Store (Dilip Kumar)
Sonbhadra
- Maa Kripya Medical Store (Satyam Kumar)
- Shivishk Pharma (Vijay Gupta)
Lakhimpur Kheri
- Piyush Medical Agency (Saroj Kumar Mishra)
Prayagraj
- MK Healthcare (Mohammad Saif)
Bahraich
- Unnamed Illegal Medical Store (Neeraj Kumar Dixit)
District-wise FIR Count
As part of the statewide drive, FIRs have been registered against 98 medical operators. The highest numbers were logged in:
- Varanasi: 28 FIRs
- Jaunpur: 16 FIRs
- Kanpur Nagar: 8 FIRs
- Lakhimpur Kheri: 4 FIRs
- Lucknow: 3 FIRs
- Other districts (Rae Bareli, Chandauli, Sultanpur, Ghazipur, etc.): 39 FIRs
Strict Monitoring Ordered Across Uttar Pradesh
The state government has directed all District Magistrates to maintain strict surveillance over the procurement and sale of codeine-based cough syrups and other NDPS-category drugs. The move aims to ensure that these medicines are used strictly for genuine medical needs and not diverted into illegal narcotic consumption.