Chennai | In a major push to combat the drug menace across south India, Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Wednesday to establish a unified, inter-state front to fight the narcotics problem.

The high-level meeting focused on sealing state borders, sharing real-time intelligence, and launching massive joint public awareness campaigns to protect the youth from drug syndicates.

Highlighting the success of Kerala's ongoing anti-narcotic offensive, Chennithala said that "Operation Toofan," has already yielded significant results.

"The crackdown has led to the arrest of over 6,000 individuals, the registration of 5,500 cases, and the seizure of properties belonging to drug traffickers", he told reporters at the state Secretariat after meeting Vijay.

However, Chennithala emphasised that state-level efforts must expand into cross-border operations to completely dismantle the smuggling network.

He said following the discussion, CM Vijay assured absolute cooperation, promising to completely seal the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border to choke illicit drug supply lines.