Massive Haul of Codeine-based Cough Syrup

Massive Haul of Codeine-based Cough Syrup

Around 200 bottles of Codeine-based cough syrup were found by the villagers in a plastic bag lying abandoned near roadside today at Lambapahad, Wimberly Gunj.

The villagers found the bag filled with the bottles camouflaged with beetle nut husk lying on the roadside.  Speaking to Andaman Chronicle, Deepak Mukherjee, Incharge, Police Outpost Wimberly Gunj said that based on the information received from the public, the bottles have been seized and enquiry initiated.

The cough syrup, Coditoz, manufactured by Zota Pharmacy Ltd, Surat costs Rs 75 for each bottle of 100 ml, which is sold to the addicts for more than Rs 150/-.

"Its alarming that this drug, which is abused by children as well as adults is still in circulation in large number," said Abdul Manaf, who informed the police.

A couple of months back, three persons were arrested with large quantity of cough syrup in Port Blair.

"Abuse of such over the counter drug is rampant in the Islands. However, no distributor dares to keep codeine based syrups nowadays," said a Pharmacist.

"This is a generic drug and might have been sourced directly from mainland," he said.

One of the constituents of these cough syrups is the habit forming drug Codeine Phosphate I.P. that falls under the narcotic drugs category, which belongs to the class of opium alkaloids and derivatives.

Individually it falls under the narcotics category but if manufactured with other ingredients as cough syrup it falls under the prescription drugs category. Though, these drugs are preparations of manufactured drugs, their possession, trade and consumption are subject to NDPS Rules. Violation of these rules would attract punishment under Section 21 of the Act.