Banned cough syrup worth over Rs 1.2 crore seized in Jharsuguda
Jharsuguda police seized over Rs 1.2 crore of banned codeine cough syrup and arrested two inter-state traffickers near Tumbekela.
Jharsuguda police seized over Rs 1.2 crore worth of banned codeine‑based cough syrup and arrested two inter‑state traffickers near a fly ash brick factory at Tumbekela on Monday, acting on reliable intelligence. Around 11 am, a special police team intercepted a truck and an escorting car at the location. The suspects, Mohammad Ahsan Ahmed, 38, of Darjibigha village in Aurangabad district, Bihar, and Rijwan Ansari, 28, of Aliganj village in Bardhaman district, West Bengal, were detained with the vehicles. During search, police recovered 197 sealed cartons containing 23,640 bottles of the syrup, totalling 2,364 litres. Besides the syrup, officers seized the truck, the escorting car, Rs 2.44 lakh in cash and two mobile phones. The accused told interrogators that the consignment was procured from Jagannathpur in Chaibasa, Jharkhand. Jharsuguda SP GR Raghavendra said, “During interrogation, the accused revealed that the consignment was procured from Jagannathpur in Chaibasa, Jharkhand. The value of the seized contraband is over Rs 1.2 crore. The accused were produced in court.”
What was seized and where?
Acting on reliable intelligence, a special police team launched an operation near the fly ash brick factory at Tumbekela in Jharsuguda. At approximately 11 am, officers intercepted a truck and an escorting car. A thorough search of the vehicles yielded 197 sealed cartons of codeine‑laden cough syrup, each carton holding multiple bottles, for a total of 23,640 bottles. The liquid volume amounted to 2,364 litres, which qualifies as a commercial quantity under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. In addition to the syrup, the police confiscated the truck, the car used as escort, Rs 2.44 lakh in cash and two mobile phones belonging to the occupants. The seizure is described as significant due to its size and the street‑market value exceeding Rs 1.2 crore.
Who were arrested and what is their background?
The detained individuals are Mohammad Ahsan Ahmed, aged 38, hailing from Darjibigha village in Aurangabad district of Bihar, and Rijwan Ansari, aged 28, from Aliganj village in Bardhaman district of West Bengal. Both men were travelling with the intercepted truck and car at the time of the stop. During interrogation, they disclosed that the codeine‑based cough syrup had been sourced from Jagannathpur in Chaibasa, Jharkhand. Jharsuguda SP GR Raghavendra reiterated that the value of the seized contraband exceeds Rs 1.2 crore and confirmed that the accused were produced in court following their arrest. The suspects are described as inter‑state traffickers involved in the movement of banned pharmaceutical products across state lines.
What happens next?
The accused were produced in court after their arrest, as stated by Jharsuguda SP GR Raghavendra. He also confirmed that, during interrogation, the men revealed the consignment’s origin in Jagannathpur, Chaibasa, Jharkhand, and that the seized contraband’s value exceeds Rs 1.2 crore. The seized items — including the truck, the car, the cash and the mobile phones — have been retained for further legal proceedings. Authorities continue to investigate the inter‑state trafficking route that originates from Jagannathpur in Chaibasa, seeking to identify any additional links in the network.
What was seized in Jharsuguda on Monday?
Over Rs 1.2 crore worth of banned codeine-based cough syrup, 23,640 bottles totaling 2,364 litres, along with a truck, car, Rs 2.44 lakh cash and two mobile phones.
Who were arrested in the Jharsuguda cough syrup seizure?
Mohammad Ahsan Ahmed, 38, of Darjibigha village in Aurangabad district, Bihar, and Rijwan Ansari, 28, of Aliganj village in Bardhaman district, West Bengal.
Where did the police intercept the vehicles carrying the cough syrup?
Near a fly ash brick factory at Tumbekela in Jharsuguda.
From where did the accused say the consignment was procured?
From Jagannathpur in Chaibasa, Jharkhand.
What legal provision does the seized quantity fall under?
The seizure falls under the commercial quantity category under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
What happened to the accused after arrest?
The accused were produced in court after their arrest.
Rakesh Pradhan
District Correspondent, Jharsuguda
Rakesh Pradhan reports on Jharsuguda's industrial corridor, power and aluminium sector news, and civic administration for the Mirror.
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