Codeine case names Dubai in 2026 licence probe, raising UAE pharmacy due diligence risk

Varanasi police arrested Vikash Singh, 62, on 4 October 2026, alleging that the pharma owner issued a fake two-year experience certificate used by fugitive Shubham Jaiswal to seek a drug licence, according to The Times of India.

The UAE relevance is direct. The same report said Jaiswal, described by police as a syndicate figure in codeine cough syrup smuggling cases, is hiding in Dubai. For Dubai clinics, pharmacy chains, insurers and third-party administrators, the case is a reminder that controlled-medicine risk starts with licensing documents, supplier onboarding and dispensing records. In Dubai, the named regulator is the Dubai Health Authority (DHA). In Abu Dhabi and Al Ain it is the Department of Health Abu Dhabi (DOH). In Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain, licensing and pharmacy controls sit with Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) and the federal medicines framework.

The India case

The Times of India reported that Rohaniya police arrested Singh during an investigation under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita covering cheating, forgery and use of a forged document. Police alleged Singh issued a certificate stating Jaiswal had worked at Shyambhavi Pharma for two years, although Jaiswal had never been employed there.

That certificate allegedly helped Jaiswal become the competent person for Shaili Traders, Ranchi. Police said Jaiswal and his father, Bhola Prasad Jaiswal, then siphoned off codeine syrup through the firm. The report said codeine syrup smuggling cases were lodged at Rohaniya, Sarnath and Kotwali police stations in Varanasi after Sonbhadra police began exposing the trade in October 2025. Jaiswal was declared a fugitive in March 2026, and Varanasi police began extradition steps in April 2026.

For UAE operators, the operational lesson is narrow and practical: a licence file is a supply-chain control. A false experience certificate can create a legal channel through which controlled medicines move at scale.

What UAE operators should check

DHA already requires doctors and pharmacists dealing with narcotic, controlled and semi-controlled medicines to use the National Platform for Controlled Medication, according to DHA circular CIR-2023-00000114, issued on 15 June 2023. The circular directed concerned practitioners to register and warned that non-adherence may create legal accountability.

In Abu Dhabi, the DOH standard for narcotics and controlled medicinal products requires eligible facilities to be licensed as a hospital, day surgery centre, pharmacy, drug store or other DOH-licensed healthcare entity. It also requires a named licensed physician or pharmacist to be responsible for narcotic and psychotropic medicines, written SOPs, annual narcotic forecasts before 1 January and 1 June, monthly reports for psychotropic and semi-controlled medicines, and quarterly narcotics reports to DOH.

• COOs should reconcile controlled-medicine stock, prescription records and supplier invoices at least monthly, then retain discrepancy evidence for DHA, DOH or MOHAP inspection.
• CFOs should treat non-licensed or poorly documented pharmacy partners as a reimbursement risk for payers such as Daman, Thiqa and Sukoon, where network participation depends on valid provider credentials and auditable claims.
• Medical directors should verify that any physician prescribing codeine-containing medicines is using the required emirate platform and that the patient record supports dose, duration and indication.
• CIOs should confirm that e-prescribing, pharmacy and inventory systems can produce a single patient-level audit trail for controlled and semi-controlled medicines.

Dubai operators should also note Executive Council Resolution No. 49 of 2024. Its prohibited acts include abusing narcotic, controlled or semi-controlled prescriptions, trading UAE-registered medicines through unauthorised professionals or facilities, failing to match dispensed controlled-drug quantities with records, and illegally importing fraudulent or counterfeit medical products. The same resolution lists a AED 5,000 fine for displaying false data on a facility or professional document, and AED 5,000 for failing to produce licences or related documents when requested by DHA inspectors.

Patient and insurer implications

The patient impact is access and trust. Codeine-containing medicines can be clinically legitimate, but in the UAE they require a controlled pathway. Patients should expect identity checks, prescription validation and limited quantities. Travellers carrying controlled medicines should check MOHAP's controlled and semi-controlled medicines list and keep a medical prescription or medical report where required.

Insurers and TPAs have a sharper issue. A pharmacy claim is only as reliable as the licence, prescriber, medicine source and dispensing record behind it. Where a pharmacy partner cannot evidence all four, the risk moves into claims leakage, regulatory reporting and patient safety.

The practical next step is a provider-file review. Dubai facilities should verify pharmacy partners through DHA licensing records. Abu Dhabi and Al Ain operators should use DOH channels. Northern emirates operators should use MOHAP or the relevant federal register. For a market-wide starting point, readers can search licensed pharmacy providers in the UAE Open Healthcare Directory, which lists more than 12,390 licensed healthcare providers across all seven emirates.