The Gujarat Food and Drugs Control Administration conducted a drive against the illegal use, unauthorised storage, and sale of codeine-based cough syrups. (Representational image)The Gujarat Food and Drugs Control Administration (FDCA) seized codeine-based cough syrups worth more than Rs 83 lakh from Balaji Pharma last week and cancelled the licence of a firm as part of a special drive against the illegal use, unauthorised storage, and sale of such medicines.The FDCA conducted the action on September 1 and also issued show-cause notices to seven firms. A statement issued by the office of Health Minister Praful Pansheriya on Tuesday said teams are carrying out intensive inspections of wholesale and retail medicine traders across districts and verifying records related to the purchase, sale, storage and distribution of codeine-containing medicines.At Balaji Pharma in Ahmedabad Rural and Gandhinagar, officials allegedly found 37,762 bottles of Rexton-T Syrup containing codeine. The seized stock is estimated to be worth Rs 83.07 lakh. Authorities have prohibited the sale and distribution of the stock and collected samples of the syrup for analysis.A scrutiny of the firm’s purchase and sale records allegedly showed that it mainly deals in medicines containing codeine. The FDCA has issued a show-cause notice to the firm and sought an explanation.Also Read | Illegal codeine syrup sale: Ahmedabad drug wholesaler’s licence cancelledShow-cause notices were also issued to Formalin Lifesciences in Changodar, Rain Remedies in Santej, Capital Pharma in Visnagar, HRDM Global Solutions in Ahmedabad, Jai Ambe Distributors in Ahmedabad, and Krishna Pharma in Kathwada.A show-cause notice was also issued to Health Point Pharma in Kalol, Gandhinagar, on the alleged defects found during the inspection. As the firm’s explanation was allegedly unsatisfactory, its licence to sell medicines was cancelled.