SSB and police recover 200 bottles of codeine syrup.Lucknow: In a joint operation, police and SSB arrested 18-year-old youth on Wednesday night during a vehicle checking drive at the Thuthibari post in Maharajganj district on UP-Nepal border and recovered a consignment of 200 bottles of codeine syrup. Codeine-based syrups are classified as controlled substances and can only be sold on a valid medical prescription. Strict stock limits and record-keeping norms are mandated for retailers and wholesalers. However, enforcement gaps, especially in border areas, continue to be exploited by traffickers. Police said during questioning, the youth—Rehan – said he was transporting the contraband on the instructions of vehicle owner Arshad of Sonauli. Police also recovered Rs 8,500 cash from the accused. Based on his statement, an FIR was registered under the NDPS Act against Arshad who is absconding. According to investigators, organised smuggling networks are systematically targeting unemployed youth—first luring them into addiction and later using them as carriers to transport illegal consignments across the border. While these carriers take the risk, the masterminds remain largely out of reach. Meanwhile, Thoothibari police station in-charge Navneet Nagar has been suspended by SP Shakti Mohan Awasthi for allegedly failing to inform seniors about the case and attempting to suppress key details. The action followed an internal review that flagged negligence and violation of protocol. Officials said a sustained anti-smuggling drive is underway, and further arrests were likely.
