10 Arrested, 5,520 Bottles of Codeine-Based Syrup Seized in Khordha

Bihar man suspected to be key supplier; police probe links to inter-state trafficking network.

Dillip Kumar Pattnaik

KHORDHA, OCTOBER 18:- Khordha Industrial Estate police have arrested 10 persons and seized 5,520 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup suspected to have been illegally stored and distributed across Odisha, busting an alleged inter-state trafficking network.

The seizure was made during a raid on the Khordha–Nayagarh New Bypass Road near Nuagaon in the early hours of Sunday. The seized consignment, estimated at approximately 552 litres, was recovered as part of the ongoing anti-narcotics drive under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan.
Police have identified Gopinath Yadav, alias Gopi Yadav (30), a native of Bihar, as the alleged kingpin and a major supplier of the syrup in Odisha. Investigators suspect that the consignments were procured from Kolkata, Haryana and Delhi before being distributed across several districts through a network of transporters, stockists and local distributors.

The other arrested persons have been identified as Divya Ranjan Srichand (25) of Kadalibadi under Khordha Sadar police station; Soumya Ranjan Sahu (25) of Palla under Khordha Model police station; Jyoti Ranjan Sahoo (35) of Kumbha Andeisahi under Jagatsinghpur police station; Shambhunath Barik (37) of Sanasinghpur under Chandbali police station in Bhadrak district; Bishnu Prasad Senapati (36) of Zobra under Malgodown police station in Cuttack; Rabindra Sundaray (38) and Santosh Gajendra (23), both from areas under Khordha Industrial Estate police station; Deepak Barik (26) of Kajidiha under Madhupatna police station in Cuttack; and Sk. Salabat (24) of Kadaba under Begunia police station.

Special team intercepts vehicles

According to police, the operation followed specific intelligence received by the Inspector-in-Charge of Khordha Industrial Estate police station about a large consignment of codeine-based cough syrup allegedly being transported from Cuttack towards Khordha and Nayagarh districts.
Acting on the directions of Khordha Superintendent of Police Parmar Smit Parshottamdas, a special team led by Sub-Inspector Swagatika Das intercepted the vehicles at around 4.50 am and apprehended the accused.
The seizure was carried out in the presence of an Executive Magistrate and independent witnesses in accordance with the prescribed legal procedures under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Police said two other suspects, including the alleged manager of the supplier, escaped and remain at large. They are suspected of having links to a godown-cum-residential premises allegedly used to store the syrup. Special teams have been deployed to trace the absconding suspects and locate the suspected storage facility.

Vehicles, cash and mobile phones seized
Besides the cough syrup, police seized two cars, a Hyundai i20 and a Hyundai i10, a Piaggio trolley auto-rickshaw, a Honda Shine motorcycle, a TVS Jupiter scooter, 11 mobile phones and Rs 30,000 in cash.
A case has been registered at Khordha Industrial Estate police station vide Case No. 337, dated October 18, 2026, under Sections 21(c) and 29 of the NDPS Act in connection with the alleged possession and distribution of a commercial quantity of the contraband.
Sub-Inspector Ashok Kumar Mohanty is investigating the case, while Sub-Inspector Swagatika Das is the informant.
Investigators are working to trace the absconding suspects, identify and search the suspected storage premises, establish links with suppliers outside Odisha, examine financial transactions and identify assets allegedly acquired through the illegal trade.

Police step up anti-narcotics drive

Addressing a press conference at the District Police Office in Khordha, Superintendent of Police Parmar Smit Parshottamdas said the operation formed part of a broader district-wide crackdown on narcotics, targeting networks allegedly involved in the trade of brown sugar, codeine-based cough syrup and ganja.
Expressing concern over the misuse of codeine-based cough syrups as intoxicants, particularly among young people, the police appealed to the public to share information about the illegal storage, transportation, sale or consumption of narcotic substances.
Information can be provided to the nearest police station, through the emergency helpline 112 or the MANAS national narcotics helpline 1933. The identity of informants will be kept confidential, the SP said.
Police said further investigation was under way to establish the full extent of the alleged inter-state network and identify all those involved in the illegal trade.