Tags: New Delhi

New Delhi, Feb 19 : Pharmaceutical preparations like pethedine and codeine-based cough syrups are increasingly being smuggled out to neighbouring countries which continue to feed their "widespread abuse" in South Asia, a UN body said today.

The diversion of pharma products like ephedrine, pseudoephedrine and morephedrine for production of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) was a "matter of concern" in India as it is world's third largest producer of such chemicals, it said.

According to the report prepared by the International Narcotics Control Board (ICBN) for year 2008 of UN Office on Drugs and Crime, "pharmaceutical preparations diverted from licit manufacture in India continue to feed to the widespread abuse" of such products in the region.

Drugs, which are increasingly smuggled into the neigbhouring countries, include pethedine and codeine-based cough syrups, the report said.

Bangladesh has made a record seizure of over 70,000 tablets containing codeine while seizures of codeine-based syrup under the brand name Phensidyl smuggled into the country from India decreased by 50 per cent in 2007 as against 2006.

With an increase reported in the abuse of ATS, the report said there are fears facilitated by the fact that ATS are illegally manufactured in India and smuggled into the country from South-East Asia. MORE

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