Sambalpur: The Sambalpur police on Monday seized 5,100 bottles of Eskuf cough syrup and arrested five persons during a raid at Mesinkata Chowk.

According to police sources, Inspector Radhakanta Barik, Officer-in-Charge of Bareipali PS, received a tip-off around 2:30 PM about a pick-up vehicle allegedly transporting the cough syrup from Cuttack. Barik and his team intercepted the vehicle and detained five accused, identified as Lokesh Pradhan alias Akash, Mahindra Kisan alias Mathu, Prabhat Bhoi alias Titu, Amod Karali, and Manish Singh.

During the operation, police seized two vehicles and 17 sealed plastic jerry packets containing the banned cough syrup bottles, each of 100 ml capacity.

Preliminary investigation revealed that accused Lokesh Pradhan had collected money from several local peddlers to purchase cough syrup. The money was handed over to one Chandra Sekhar Naik of Pardhiapali, who reportedly transferred the amount via UPI to a drug dealer in Cuttack.

Police suspect the syndicate was planning to circulate the cough syrup in Sambalpur town during the upcoming festive season.

The Eskuf syrup, which contains codeine phosphate, is often misused as an intoxicant and is regulated under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

So far, 20 individuals have been arrested in connection with the case, and investigators have traced multiple digital money transfers linked to the racket.

The police believe the network could be part of a larger inter-district syndicate operating between Cuttack and western Odisha.

Further investigation is underway to identify other members involved and trace the supply chain.