Samastipur: Police in the district have arrested seven individuals, including two women, for allegedly smuggling nearly 1,000 bottles of banned cough syrup containing narcotic substances. The seizure, made during a vehicle check by Angarghat police, is estimated to be worth around Rs 1.80 lakh. Authorities also recovered Rs 1 lakh in cash during the operation.
The arrests were made following a tip-off that a consignment of the prohibited cough syrup—banned in Bihar due to its high potential for misuse—was being transported by road from Patna to Saharsa. Acting on the intelligence, police set up a checkpoint at Angarghat Chowk, where they intercepted the vehicle and recovered 994 bottles of the syrup.
Those taken into custody have been identified as Arpana Kumari, Soni Kumari, Bittu Kumar, Shivpal Kumar, Ranjan Yadav, Aditya Kumar, and Santosh Patel. All are reportedly residents of various towns across Saharsa, Simri Bakhtiyarpur, and Patna. They have been charged with possession and transportation of narcotic substances. “This syrup is not permitted in Bihar due to its addictive properties and the state’s strict prohibition policies,” said Shambhu Nath Thakur, the Drugs Inspector who visited the scene. “Overconsumption can lead to severe health complications or even death. We have had reports of fatalities linked to its misuse in the past.”
Angarghat Police Station in-charge Shiv Jyoti Kumari confirmed that the arrests were made based on confidential information. “All seven accused have been booked under relevant sections of the law and are being sent to judicial custody,” she said. An investigation into the wider smuggling network is currently underway.
