UP Father-Son Duo Busted for Multi-Crore Narcotic Cough Syrup Network, Operations Extended to Nepal

Kanpur: A massive narcotics and expired medicines racket has been uncovered in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, involving crore-worth codeine syrups and Tramadol tablets. The Food Safety and Drug Administration Commissioner, Dr. Roshan Jacob, along with four teams, raided Agrawal Brothers’ shop on Birhana Road and their warehouse in Koperganj, seizing illegal medicines worth several crores.

Father-Son Duo at the Center
The illegal operation, allegedly run by Vinod Agrawal and his son Shivam Agrawal, had been active for years, escaping the notice of local authorities. Both father and son were absconding at the time of the raid. Dr. Jacob has directed that cases be filed against Agrawal Brothers, Medisina, and SGPS firms following the seizure. Evidence of the illicit trade had emerged from Himachal Pradesh, Ghaziabad, and Lucknow, prompting the crackdown.

Illegal Operations and Lack of Records
The teams found large quantities of banned syrups and medicines, including codeine cough syrup and Tramadol tablets, stored at the shop and warehouse. Shockingly, the firms had no records of sales or distribution, indicating deliberate concealment.

Raids were also conducted at Shivam Agrawal’s Medisina, Vicky Lalwani’s SGPS, and Anmol Gupta’s Vedansh Pharmacy. SGPS failed to provide any transaction records. The city’s drug department has come under scrutiny for negligence, as poor warehouse management suggested the facilities should have been sealed earlier. While narcotics licenses had been canceled, all licenses of Agrawal Brothers are now slated for revocation.

A Widespread Network
Agrawal Brothers had procured narcotic syrups from a laboratory in Himachal Pradesh, with Vinod Agrawal as a major dealer. The racket expanded through three interconnected firms, with Shivam Agrawal’s Medisina involving his friend Anmol Gupta. The network extended across Uttar Pradesh and even into Nepal, supplying syrups to 47 locations. Himachal-based suppliers confirmed that 90,000 bottles of codeine syrup were delivered and distributed to various warehouses in Uttar Pradesh, highlighting the scale of the operation.

Authorities Stunned
Officials were reportedly unaware of the scale of the racket for years. The Commissioner’s intervention and subsequent raids sent shockwaves through the city’s administration. The father-son duo’s audacious network demonstrates the deep-rooted nature of narcotics trade in the region and the need for stricter surveillance.

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