The Telangana Drugs Control Administration (DCA) has busted the illegal sale of habit-forming drugs at a medical shop in Hyderabad’s Ramanthapur and seized stocks of Codeine-containing cough syrups and Tramadol-based capsules during a raid conducted on Saturday, May 30.

The drugs are often abused for their sedative effects, leading to addiction and dependence. Continued misuse or overdose can result in respiratory depression, seizures, coma and even death, officials said.

According to DCA officials, V. Raju and V. Savitha, who run SVR Medicals in Sri Nagar Colony, Ramanthapur, were found selling habit-forming medicines indiscriminately. Stocks of the drugs, along with records related to their sale, were seized during the operation.

Acting on information regarding the illegal sale of such medicines, DCA officials raided the medical shop and detected the unlawful sale of Codeine-containing Tossex cough syrups and Tramadol-containing Spasmo-Proxyvon Plus capsules.

Officials seized 20 bottles of Tossex cough syrup, each containing 120 ml. The DCA said the medical shop was selling the medicines without prescriptions issued by Registered Medical Practitioners. Investigators also found that the establishment had failed to maintain and produce sales bills, did not maintain the mandatory Schedule H1 drug register, and had committed other violations under the Drugs Rules.