Iraqi health officials say an Indian cough syrup linked to the deaths of dozens of children overseas is not licensed for importing and threatened to punish vendors that might sell the toxic syrup.

Last week, Bloomberg News reported that a cold medication made in India and sold in Iraq was tainted with toxic chemicals. 

"A bottle of Cold Out purchased at a pharmacy in Baghdad in March contains 2.1% ethylene glycol, according to Valisure LLC, an independent US laboratory. That's about 21 times the widely accepted limit," Bloomberg News reported after commissioning a syrup test.