Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday strongly rebutted allegations by Leader of Opposition Mata Prasad Pandey over 'deaths' allegedly due to the consumption of fake medicines and codeine syrup, asserting in the Assembly that no such case has come to the notice of the state government so far.
Authorities in Uttar Pradesh's Gonda district have seized a large consignment of codeine-based cough syrup, prompting an investigation into its procurement and intended distribution. The seizure led to a halt in sales as officials examine records and supply chain details to verify the legality of the transaction.
Assam Police have seized drugs worth Rs 6.4 crore, including Yaba tablets and codeine syrup, in Sribhumi district, leading to the arrest of two traffickers. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma affirmed the continuation of the state's anti-drug campaign.
The Delhi Police registered 24 cases under the NDPS Act and arrested 23 persons during a week-long anti-drug campaign that combined enforcement with large-scale awareness drives.
The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) has arrested an alleged drug trafficker in Mirzapur and seized over 13,000 bottles of illegal codeine-based cough syrup worth approximately Rs 1.6 crore.
Delhi Police have arrested a 26-year-old medical store owner and dismantled a drug supply network operating in the outer Delhi area. The arrest followed a raid in Paharganj, prompted by information obtained during the interrogation of three individuals previously arrested with contraband.
The son of a jailed kingpin has been arrested in connection with a large-scale codeine-based cough syrup trafficking network. The investigation has uncovered a multi-state racket involving shell companies and fake billing, with transactions worth crores of rupees.
Kanpur police have frozen assets worth Rs 9.5 crore, including properties, vehicles, and bank accounts, as part of an investigation into an interstate racket involved in trafficking codeine-based cough syrups.
Kanpur Crime Branch arrests a medical store owner for allegedly illegally buying and selling codeine-based cough syrup as part of a larger investigation into the illicit trade of regulated pharmaceuticals.
Bengaluru police have arrested four individuals, including three from other states, for allegedly selling various prohibited narcotic substances like ganja, MDMA, methamphetamine, and codeine cough syrup. The arrests led to the seizure of drugs and a car, with a total market value of Rs 14.94 lakh. The accused confessed to purchasing drugs at lower prices and selling them to the public and college students for profit.
Uttar Pradesh authorities have registered 74 cases and arrested 75 people in connection with the illegal storage and sale of codeine-based cough syrup. A minister alleges links to the Samajwadi Party and an SIT is investigating.
Uttar Pradesh DGP Rajeev Krishna stated that the state's law and order situation has significantly improved, with criminals losing their former confidence. He warned against anti-social elements using social media to intimidate and discussed ongoing probes into the Ayodhya Ram Mandir irregularities and the extradition of a drug trafficking kingpin. The DGP also highlighted the rising challenge of cybercrime and police efforts to combat it.
Delhi Police arrested three men involved in an illegal network supplying banned pharmaceutical drugs across Delhi and the NCR. The accused, working as medical representatives, were caught with substantial quantities of psychotropic substances and controlled medicines.
Thane police arrested 23 people, including two foreign nationals, and seized narcotics worth nearly 1.4 crore during a week-long anti-drug campaign.
According to the NCRB, cannabis and opium derivatives continued to dominate India's drug seizure landscape in 2024, with enforcement agencies confiscating over 9.42 lakh kilograms of narcotic substances under the NDPS Act.
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) seized 524.9 kg of ganja worth approximately Rs 2.6 crore in Assam and arrested two individuals as part of increased operations before the upcoming Assembly elections in Assam and West Bengal.
The Congress party is intensifying its efforts to strengthen its organizational base in Uttar Pradesh, with plans to contest all 403 seats in the 2027 Assembly elections. Senior leaders emphasize grassroots preparations, voter outreach, and public meetings to regain political ground in the state.
The 344 banned drugs include the fixed dose combination of Chlopheniramine Maleate and Codeine syrup sold under the popular cough syrup brand Corex.
The next hearing on Pfizer's plea is slated for March 21
Codeine-based formulations are under the scanner for misuse as a narcotic product.
India battles big pharma over cough syrup abuse, reducing supplies
Eight firearms and 112 rounds of ammunition were recovered from different districts of violence-hit Manipur during search operations by security forces, police said.
Several companies, including Indian units of Abbott Laboratories and Pfizer Inc, and domestic firms like Cipla Ltd and Macleods Pharmaceuticals, went to the Delhi High Court to try to get the ban lifted.
The central government has for the first time allowed a private company, Bajaj Healthcare, to process opium to extract alkaloids used to make pain-killers, cough syrups, and even cancer drugs. Two government factories in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, and Neemuch, Madhya Pradesh, do the work yet, processing some 800 tonnes of opium gum annually to extract alkaloids. The government on Tuesday gave Thane-based Bajaj Healthcare an initial contract to process 500 tonnes of opium gum annually and wants production to be at 800 tonnes per annum (tpa) in the next five years, indicating the state's exit from the highly-regulated sector.
The introduction of e-pharmacy, to protect the interest of a handful of players, would hamper the interest of 800,000 chemists and 80 lakh workers and their families
Govt bans brands with annual sales worth Rs 3,728 crore.
She also suggested exploring the possibility of setting up de-addiction centres near these railway stations.
