Bhopal police bust fake cough syrup racket worth Rs 1 crore

Police in Bhopal have uncovered a major operation producing fake cough syrup. The Special Task Force (STF) raided a factory in Patel City Colony on Friday, arresting five people and seizing expired medicines worth Rs 1 crore. The group allegedly repackaged old stock with false labels before selling it in rural areas nearby. The STF first struck on Friday, shutting down an illegal factory in Patel City Colony. Two adults and three minors were arrested at the site, where officers found thousands of bottles and empty containers. Investigators later discovered a storage hideout in Mubarakpur after questioning the suspects.

On Saturday, police seized 23,124 bottles from the Mubarakpur location, including 22,154 bottles of Off-Kuff and 970 bottles of Onrex cough syrup. Another 4,000 empty bottles were recovered from the same hideout. The total value of the confiscated goods reached Rs 1 crore, with the Saturday haul alone worth Rs 50 lakh. The accused admitted to repackaging expired cough syrup with new wrappers, batch numbers, and fake expiry dates. Authorities confirmed the counterfeit products were being distributed to rural districts around Bhopal. The main suspect, Aqueel Khan, was remanded in custody for five days as police probe the supply chain and source of the expired materials.

The raids have disrupted a large-scale fake medicine network operating in central India. With five arrests and over 23,000 bottles seized, the investigation continues into how the expired drugs entered circulation. Police are tracing the full extent of the distribution chain and potential health risks to consumers.