Meghalaya police bust spurious cough syrup factory in East Jaintia Hills, 3 arrested

Three people were arrested after a factory where spurious cough syrups were made was busted in Meghalaya on October 1. 

The spurious cough syrups made with phensedyl, which is addictive, were smuggled to Bangladesh, they said. 

Acting on a tip-off, police raided a godown in East Jaintia Hills district's Khliehriat from where 9,883 bottles of cough syrups were seized, SP Jagpal Dhanoa told media, adding that a person was also arrested. 

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The arrest led the police to the factory in Ummulong where these cough syrups were made, he said. The factory used to be operated in the basement of the house, the owner of which told the police that the spurious cough syrups mainly were sent across the border to Bangladesh, the SP said. 

From the factory, 600 bottles of elcodyl cough syrup, 10 bottles of flavouring agent, 11 bottles of food colour, a huge quantity of phensedyl, and books on Pharmacology were seized, he said. 

He added that cartons and phensedyl labels, bottles and caps were also seized, besides a bottling machine and around Rs 11,000 in cash. Following the interrogation of the two accused, the police arrested another person involved in allegedly transporting the spurious syrups toward Assam. 

Phensedyl cough syrups are banned in India as it is addictive. It is consumed in Bangladesh in a large quantity as alcohol is strictly regulated in that country, police said.