Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh: The Uttar Pradesh government's crackdown on cough syrup smuggling has intensified, with the Food and Drugs Department booking 12 more pharmaceutical firms in connection with the illegal trade of codeine-containing cough syrup in Varanasi. This action brings the total number of companies under investigation to 38.
According to Inspector Janab Ali of the department, the initial case was filed against 26 firms on November 15, 2025. During that investigation, authorities identified 12 additional firms exhibiting suspicious activity. Upon investigating these 12 firms, the inspection team found many were either closed or operating other businesses at the listed addresses. Notices were then issued to the operators of these pharmaceutical firms, demanding clarification. The owners failed to respond to these notices, leading to the filing of a case against them at the Kotwali police station on Friday.
This recent action is part of a broader effort to combat the illegal trade of codeine-based cough syrups, which are often diverted for recreational use and smuggled across state lines. Earlier in November, an FIR was filed against 12 medical store owners and two others in Jaunpur for their alleged involvement in the large-scale illegal trade of codeine-based cough syrup. These individuals are accused of selling over 37 lakh bottles of the syrup, worth approximately ₹57 crore, using forged documents. The illegally traded cough syrup was reportedly smuggled to states like Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal.
In a separate but related investigation, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) is probing a massive cross-border smuggling ring involved in transporting cough syrup from India to Bangladesh. This syndicate is accused of smuggling syrup worth approximately ₹300 crore, where it is used for intoxication purposes. The STF has issued a second notice to a U.S.-based pharmaceutical company as part of its investigation, seeking to determine if company officials have any links to this illicit network. The investigation suggests that the smuggling route involves the diversion of cough syrup through states like Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam, and West Bengal before crossing the border into Bangladesh.
In October 2025, a joint operation by police and excise officials led to the seizure of banned cough syrup worth ₹3 crore in Sonbhadra district, and three individuals were arrested. The seized syrup, totaling 1.19 lakh bottles, was being transported from Ghaziabad to Jharkhand in two container trucks. A drug inspector confirmed the seized cough syrup contained codeine, a narcotic substance prohibited under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
These ongoing investigations and actions highlight the Uttar Pradesh government's commitment to curbing the illegal trade and smuggling of cough syrups containing codeine. The crackdown aims to prevent the misuse of these substances and ensure that pharmaceutical products are distributed and used legally.
