Sambalpur police intercept cough syrup smugglers in shootout

Police in the Sambalpur district of Odisha intercepted two vehicles suspected of transporting large quantities of codeine-based cough syrup early Sunday morning. The operation, conducted as part of the ‘Nisha-Mukt Odisha Abhiyan’ anti-drug campaign, took place near Jangla village under the Rengali police station limits.

During the encounter, police stopped the first vehicle and arrested the driver, Ashutosh Mendli, while another occupant fled into a nearby forest. A second vehicle, which lacked registration plates, crashed into a tree during the pursuit. According to authorities, the driver of the second car, identified as Pritam Biswal, opened fire at officers in an attempt to escape. Police returned fire in self-defense, resulting in a gunshot wound to Biswal’s right leg. He was subsequently transported to the Rengali Community Health Center for treatment.

Officers recovered 24 cartons of codeine-based syrup, a country-made gun, a 9 mm pistol, and five empty cartridges at the scene. An investigation into the drug transportation network is ongoing.