Bolangir: A team of Bolangir police successfully conducted a raid near the Reliance petrol pump on Sambalpur road and arrested six persons after the seizure of as many as 4,000 cough syrup bottles from their possession, Friday morning. The police also seized a pickup van, a car, and a two-wheeler used in smuggling the contraband. The accused were identified as Ranjan Swain Ramakanta Swain and Padmanabha aka Pinku Pradhan, Parameswar Kharsel, Subasish Baghar aka Subha, and Sibasish Abhijit Baghar. A case (No-570/23) has been registered at Town police station in this regard. Bolangir Superintendent of Police Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo briefed about the smuggling of cough syrup at a press conference at Town police station, Friday afternoon.
Acting on a tip-off about cough syrup being smuggled in a pick-up van Friday, a special team was formed and the team conducted the raid near the Reliance petrol pump and stopped the pick-up van, a car, and a bike in suspicion. During the search, 4,000 bottles of cough syrup were seized from the van, said Khilari. These cough syrup bottles were to be smuggled to Bargarh and Sambalpur districts from Bolangir, he added. He also assured that the crackdown on the smuggling of cough syrup and other contraband will continue in the future.
Taking action against the cough syrup company, the bank accounts of the company will be seized, said SP Khilari. He also said various awareness campaigns will be conducted by the police department to create awareness among the youth including school and college students to prevent them from getting addicted to narcotic substances