LUCKNOW, Oct. 23 -- In a crackdown on the illegal sale of narcotic cough syrups, the Uttar Pradesh's Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) seized codeine-based syrups worth over Rs.5 crore during a special drive carried out across the Lucknow region from October 1 to 21.

According to FSDA officials, approximately three lakh bottles of codeine-containing syrups - a controlled narcotic substance - were recovered during multiple raids across the city. These medicines, intended solely for patients with chronic cough, are increasingly being misused as intoxicants, prompting the statewide crackdown.

As part of the drive, licenses of 60 medical stores have been suspended, and notices have been issued to 25 outlets for violating drug contr...