Kanpur (UP), March 3 The Kanpur Crime Branch, in coordination with the Hanumant Vihar police, has arrested a medical store owner, allegedly involved in the illegal purchase and sale of codeine-based cough syrup, a senior official said on Tuesday.
The arrest comes amid a wider investigation by the Uttar Pradesh authorities into alleged illegal stocking and trade of the regulated codeine-based syrup, with officials estimating the network to be worth hundreds of crores and operating within and outside the state.
The accused, Vishal Singh Sisodiya (23), owner of M/s Sisodiya Medicine House, had been on the run for nearly four months after an FIR was registered against him in November. He was arrested on Tuesday and subsequently taken into judicial custody.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Shrawan Kumar Singh said the case was registered on November 5 following a complaint by a drug inspector regarding suspected unlawful dealings in codeine-containing cough syrups.
"During the investigation, it was found that the accused had procured and sold large quantities of restricted codeine-based cough syrup, branded FancyPic-T, without maintaining mandatory sale records or stock registers," Singh told