Codeine Cough Syrup Kingpin With Rs 50,000 Bounty Arrested In UP's Kanpur

Kanpur Commissionerate Police on Sunday arrested a drug kingpin carrying a cash reward of Rs 50,000, for his alleged role in running a large inter-state network involved in the illegal trade of codeine-based cough syrup and narcotic drugs, officials said.

Vinod Agrawal was arrested from 'Dadu Ki Kothi' at Azad Chowk in Narnaul, Haryana, following sustained cyber surveillance and technical tracking, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Shrawan Kumar Singh.

The accused was involved in illegal procurement, storage and sale of narcotic drugs, inter-state trafficking, fabrication of documents and obstruction of official duty, he added.

Addressing the media on Monday, the DCP said Agrawal had admitted to supplying codeine-based cough syrup to 47 firms, but police investigation revealed that the actual number was over 350 firms across multiple states.

Police estimates suggest that around 20 lakh bottles of codeine-based syrup were illegally circulated. Of these, 11.5 lakh bottles have been recovered, while 8.5 lakh bottles are yet to be traced.

Police said they would seek custodial remand of the accused to recover the remaining stock.

So far, eight criminal cases have been registered in connection with the racket. Raids are underway to apprehend other accused, including Agrawal's son Shivam Agrawal, along with Anmol Gupta, Manju Sharma, Abhishek Sharma, Ved Prakash Shivhare and Sumit Kesarwani, the DCP said further.

The racket came to light following a joint inspection on July 11 by officials of the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) and the police at M/s Agrawal Brothers, located on Birhana Road in Kanpur.

During the inspection, a large quantity of codeine-based cough syrup (Eskuf Syrup, 100 ml) and Schedule-H/H1 drugs was found to be illegally stored and sold.

Police also found that the accused had shown the purchase of 32,000 bottles under a single bill, amounting to 89,600 bottles, in violation of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. The drugs were sold without maintaining mandatory records, stock registers or valid medical prescriptions.

Police also discovered that digital billing and transaction data had been deliberately removed, indicating an attempt to destroy evidence. Further investigation revealed the use of fake and shell firms to conceal the illegal supply chain.

Notices sent to 47 firms were returned undelivered in most cases, confirming that many of them existed only on paper, DCP said further.

Officials said the racket was part of a larger interstate organised syndicate dealing in NDPS-category drugs. Two firms named by the accused were found to be mere fronts, with consignments diverted elsewhere.

Transporters and drivers involved in the operation are currently being questioned.

A case has been registered at Collectorganj police station in Kanpur under sections 132 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 318(4) (cheating), 336(3) (forgery), 338 (forgery of valuable security, will, etc), and 340 (2) (forged document or electronic record and using it as genuine) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and provisions of the NDPS Act.

The investigation has been handed over to the Crime Branch.

Additional DCP (Crime) Anjali Vishwakarma said the bank accounts and properties of the accused and his associates were being identified for seizure proceedings.

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