Cop caught taking bribe for release of banned codeine cough syrup

Days after the raids, the Ghaziabad Police on Friday arrested Crime Branch Inspector Ramesh Singh Sindhu after he was allegedly caught red-handed accepting a bribe of Rs 4 lakh from a businessman for the release of four trucks carrying the cough syrup, seized earlier this month.

Police said the money was recovered from his office, and the businessman, identified as Rahul, was detained while he was attempting to flee.

During the Meerut Road raid, teams recovered 1,57,350 vials of Eskuf and Phensedyl syrups that together weighed 15,735 litres. Police said the syrups had been concealed between sacks of lime. While each vial costs around Rs 210 to Rs 212 in India, the same sells for Rs 600 to Rs 1,000 in Bangladesh, where it is allegedly used as a substitute in areas where alcohol is banned. The syrups contain codeine, a narcotic substance, police said.

Confirming the arrest, DCP (City) Dhawal Jaiswal said, “A case is being registered against the accused inspector under sections related to corruption. The person who was offering the bribe is also in custody.”

He added that the police were keeping a watch on the inspector’s movements. “According to sources, the commissioner had received a complaint against the inspector,” Jaiswal said.

Investigators said the illegal network spans multiple states, with the syndicate allegedly smuggling more than 550 truckloads of cough syrup over the past three years. The operation was allegedly run by Asif, a resident of Meerut currently based in Dubai, along with Wasim from Meerut and Shubham Jaiswal from Varanasi — all of whom are currently absconding.

During questioning, police said, accused Tyagi and Bhadana revealed that the syrups were purchased under the licence of RS Pharma, Indirapuram, using names of fake firms, including Vanya Enterprises, Laborate Pharma (Poonta Sahib), and Abbott Pharma (Baddi). The consignments were then stockpiled at a fish warehouse complex in Ghaziabad before being routed via Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand to Bangladesh, as well as to Jharkhand, Bengal and Assam. Police said the concealment methods were changed regularly to evade detection.

Tyagi also told police he was paid Rs 20,000 a day to park a truck at the Ghaziabad warehouse, and that he coordinated the supply across NCR with the help of Asif and Wasim.

Police said further investigation is underway and efforts to trace the absconding suspects and identify the entire inter-state network is on.