An officer of the special drug squad during a raid on a medicine shop in Sambalpur. Telegraph picture

Sambalpur, June 5: A special squad raided several medicine stores and betel shops in the city last evening in a bid to check illegal selling of habit-forming drugs.

The squad, consisting of officers of the excise department, police and drug control department, raided five medicine stores and several betel shops in the city and collected 18 drug samples.

“The samples will be sent to the government laboratory for tests,” said drug inspector of Sambalpur Priya Ranjan Naik.

“The drugs, containing codeine phosphate as a constituent, are types of sedatives. Selling these drugs without prescription is illegal. Besides, these drugs are not supposed to be available for sale at betel shops,” said Naik.

Local residents have been complaining about the rampant abuse of drugs in the city.

“Abuse of cough syrups, anti-depressants and sedatives is widely prevalent in the district. The cough syrups are cheap and addictive. Their easy availability makes them accessible to the youth, who are getting addicted. They are availing of these drugs easily at several medicine stores without producing a prescription. Even betel shops have started storing such medicines for quick money,” said resident Sarat Banji.

“Due to addiction, youths are also seen committing crimes. These drugs should not be given without prescription,” said Newton Ray, another local resident

“I am happy that the special squad has started conducting raids to check the illegal selling of these habit-forming drugs. The squad should conduct regular raids on the medicine shops and check their stock. Only then can the abuse of these habit-forming drugs be curbed,” said Ray.