3 weeks ago
Gujarat pharma firm partners held for illegal codeine cough syrup sale
Some people in India make and sell medicine called cough syrup.
One kind of cough syrup has a strong medicine inside it called codeine.
Codeine can make you feel very sleepy and relaxed, and some people use it the wrong way, which can be dangerous.
That is why a special law says only shops that have a special permission, called a licence, can sell it.
Police in Ahmedabad found a company sending many bottles of this syrup to other shops.
They checked and found that one of the shops did not have the special permission.
The police arrested two people from the company who were in charge.
The syrup and boxes were taken away by the police so nobody could sell them.
Now the police are checking the other shops too, and they are doing more tests on the syrup.
The Ahmedabad City Police SOG arrested Hiren Kantilal Patel and Parshva Vora, partners of M/s Prama Healthcare, for illegally selling codeine-based cough syrup.
On August 7, police seized 34 parcels containing 5,050 bottles of 'Cof-Trip' cough syrup worth around Rs 54.91 lakh at the General Post Office in Ahmedabad.
The consignment was addressed to seven firms - five in Mizoram, and one each in Uttar Pradesh and Assam.
Officials confirmed that at least one intended recipient, Hermon Pharmacy in Aizawl, had no licence to deal with the Schedule G drug.
The partners were booked under NDPS Act sections 8(c), 21(c) and 29, and remanded in police custody till August 14.
- Who
- Hiren Kantilal Patel and Parshva Vora, partners of M/s Prama Healthcare, arrested by the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Ahmedabad City Police.
- What
- They were arrested for the illegal sale of codeine-based cough syrup 'Cof-Trip' to firms, including at least one unlicensed firm outside Gujarat.
- Where
- Ahmedabad, Gujarat; the parcels were destined for firms in Mizoram, Uttar Pradesh and Assam.
- When
- The arrest and FIR took place on August 10; the consignment was seized on August 7.
- Why
- Codeine is an opioid restricted under the NDPS Act, and at least one recipient firm, Hermon Pharmacy in Aizawl, had no licence to purchase, store or sell the product.
Key facts
- Accused
- Hiren Kantilal Patel and Parshva Vora
- Firm
- M/s Prama Healthcare, Gujarat Estate, Sarkhej, Ahmedabad
- Seized product
- Cof-Trip (Triprolidine Hydrochloride and Codeine Phosphate Syrup)
- Seized value
- Around Rs 54.91 lakh
- Seizure details
- 34 parcels with 5,050 bottles (100 ml each)
- Charges
- NDPS Act sections 8(c), 21(c) and 29
- Manufacturer
- Three B Healthcare Ltd, Sirmour, Himachal Pradesh
- Marketer
- Aashka Formulation Pvt Ltd, Kalol, Gandhinagar, Gujarat








