Illegal Sale of Codeine-Based Cough Syrups Busted in Hyderabad; Three Arrested

Hyderabad | April 22, 2025
Hyderabad police busted an illegal sale racket of Codeine-based cough syrups being supplied through local medical stores in the city. Three people were arrested and over 250 bottles of the banned substance were seized.

According to police, the accused were sourcing the syrup from unauthorised distributors and selling it without prescriptions to youth and addicts in parts of old city, including Charminar and Falaknuma.

The primary accused, a local pharmacist, allegedly kept stocks hidden in storage units and operated using dummy bills to avoid detection. A student and a delivery agent were also detained during the operation.

Officials stated that such high-codeine syrups are often misused for intoxication and have become a popular substitute for banned narcotics in urban slums.

A case under the NDPS Act and Drugs and Cosmetics Act has been filed, and further investigations are underway to trace the supply network.