Bhopal STF smashes fake cough syrup racket in massive raids

A fake cough syrup racket was dismantled in Bhopal after the Special Task Force (STF) uncovered two illegal operations. On Friday, officers raided a manufacturing unit in Patel City Colony, arresting five people and seizing materials worth Rs 1 crore. The following day, a second raid in Mubarakpur led to the recovery of over 23,000 counterfeit bottles. The first raid targeted a factory where expired cough syrup was being repackaged with new labels, batch numbers, and fake expiry dates. Police arrested two adults and three minors at the site, confiscating 4,000 empty bottles alongside production equipment. The main accused, Aqueel Khan, was later remanded for five days as investigations began into the source of the expired stock and the distribution network.

During questioning, the suspects disclosed a storage hideout in Mubarakpur. Acting on this information, the STF seized 23,124 bottles of fake syrup on Saturday, including 22,154 units of Off-Kuff and 970 of Onrex. The total value of the recovered items now stands at Rs 1 crore. Authorities confirmed the counterfeit products were being supplied to rural areas in districts near Bhopal. The operation remains ongoing as police trace the supply chain and identify further links in the network.

The raids have disrupted a large-scale counterfeit medicine operation in central India. With five arrests and seizures totalling Rs 1 crore, the STF continues to probe the origins of the expired materials and the full extent of the distribution network. Further legal action against those involved is expected as investigations progress.