In order to curb the clandestine activity of distribution of formulation containing narcotic drug codeine phosphate, Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seized 15,000 bottles of codeine containing cough syrups worth Rs. 15 lakhs which were sold in the open market at a higher cost without a valid license. Two persons from Thane were found violating the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and one of them have been arrested jointly by Maharashtra FDA officials and Kashimira police in Thane.  
 
On the basis of raid conducted by FDA, stock of cough syrup were found in about 145 box (14500 x 100 ml bottle) of various brands like Rexcof manufactured by Cipla Ltd, Vapi, Reskop manufactured by Promed Laboratories Pvt Ltd, Indore, Corex manufactured by Pfizer Ltd, Pune, Rancodex manufactured by Smilax Healthcare Pvt Ltd, Baddi and marketed by Ranbaxy Laboratory Ltd, New Delhi and Conex manufactured by Acron Pharmaceuticals, Ahmedabad were seized by Kashimira police from a person named Dalaram Choudhari.

Dalaram Choudhari was arrested by Kashimira police under the charges of 18A, 18C of
Drug and Cosmetics Act and sections 328, 336, 269, 36 of IPC. Police is in search of another person Bharat Choudhari who is involved in this racket and is further investigating sources of these drugs which were illegally acquired.

Choudhari was trapped with 8 boxes containing bottle of Corex, Rexcof and Rancof cough syrup in a Maruti Swift Dzire car by a team of intelligence branch (IB) officials assisted by team of Kashimria police station. Further interrogation with Dalaram Choudhari revealed that same formulations were collected from Bharat Choudhari at Nalasopara of Thane district. The team of FDA officers along with a team of Kashimira police station also raided the godown owned by Bharat Choudhari.

FDA commissioner Dr. Harshadeep Kamble said, "As per the initial information from the accused, much of this stock of cough syrup containing codeine phosphate is being sold in Mumbai and much of it was sold in Bengal and North-East states where these bottles can be sold at thrice the original price. There is a strong doubt of a big network involved in this clandestine process. All this clandestine activity was based on illegal purchases, without a license. All these stock was planned to be sold to drug/codeine phosphate addicts at very higher price. This is first and major such kind of raid in the recent past."

He further appreciated the timely help and efficient co-ordination from the police. Further investigation is on by the joint team of FDA and police.

The raid was carried by the intelligence branch of FDA Maharashtra based on a tip off that there are some amongst the drug addict and school going children who were detected for drug abuse.

On the orders of FDA commissioner, Dr. Kamble based on a tip, the team of intelligence branch headed by O S Sadhwani, joint commissioner (IB), kept a watch on the entire operation. One of the official, J B Mantri, assistant commissioner (IB) posed as a customer and carried out a test purchase. The exercise confirmed about the supply of these drugs from an unidentified source following which a trap was laid at Kashimira region of Thane district on 26 October 2015.

This entire operation was carried out under the guidance of Dr. Harshadeep Kamble, IAS, commissioner FDA, Maharashtra state, O.S. Sadhwani, joint commissioner (vigilance) FDA, and R.S. Urunkar, joint commissioner, Konkan division with the team of IB officials J B Mantri, Dr. Rakesh Tirpude, assistant commissioner (HQ) and V.A.Kose, assistant commissioner, Thane along with drug inspectors A.T. Rathod, U.G. Waghmare, P.H. Mahanwar, Pongale and S. Deshmukh.