Mumbai: Pharmacist, Delivery Man Arrested For Online Sale Of Codeine-Based Cough Syrup In Govandi

A pharmacist and a delivery man have been arrested by the Shivaji Nagar police in Govandi who were allegedly peddling codeine-based cough syrup, a narcotic drug, online.

According to the police, the matter surfaced on Friday night when they received a tip-off about one of the accused coming to their jurisdiction in Govandi to deliver ‘drugs’. The one who was making this delivery usually delivers crockery items, door-to-door, but also delivers drugs as a side job, said the police. Identified as Abdul Karim Hakim Shah, 27, he is a resident of Titwala and works with the second accused, named Mujeeb Abdul Khan, 30, who is a resident of Saki Naka in Andheri.

Pharmacist's involvement

Shah was trapped by the cops, and during the questioning, he revealed about Khan. Khan, who works as a pharmacist at a medical store, uses the store’s license to procure codeine-based narcotic drugs, also known as Triprolidine Hydrochloride and Codeine Phosphate Syrup (cough syrup) from manufacturers in Punjab. Codeine, when consumed without a doctor’s prescribed limit, can be intoxicating and is cheaper than other conventional drugs.

Seizure and value

During the interrogation, Khan revealed that he understood the ‘demand’ of codeine among consumers, and decided to sell it to them at least five times higher than its original price. He tied up with Shah and given his ‘delivery man’ status and uniform, he won’t be suspected of supplying drugs, said Khan to cops. Police have seized 1,600 bottles of codeine from both the accused, along with cash worth ₹9,36,100 lakhs. As per market rate, police said, 1,600 bottles of codeine are worth more than 12 lakhs.

Both were charged with relevant sections of the NDPS Act and were remanded to police custody till November 1, by the court.