Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala on Tuesday said that the government was taking several measures, including seeking the help of the other southern states and central agencies, to combat the drug menace being faced by the state.
The minister also said that the state government will urge the Centre to make amendments to the NDPS Act to prevent those caught with small quantities of drugs from easily getting bail or escaping stringent punishment.
Chennithala made this response to queries during zero hour about steps being taken by the government to combat the menace.
The minister said that Chief Minister V D Satheesan has written letters to his counterparts in the other southern states seeking their help in dealing with the issue by pointing out how the drugs and banned narcotic substances were being brought to Kerala.
Besides that, the state police chief has discussed the issue with his counterparts in the other states, Chennithala said, adding that he himself held a meeting of representatives of all central agencies and forces present in Kerala, like the Navy, Customs and Central Reserve Police Force, seeking their assistance in dealing with the menace.
The minister said that an international mafia was behind the drug trafficking, and they adopted several clever techniques to divert police attention and smuggle the drugs into the country and then into Kerala.
He also acknowledged that many of those involved in drug trafficking easily get bail as they are caught with small quantities of the banned narcotics.
He said that an amendment in the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act was required to prevent this.
Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan urged the minister and the government to raise before the Centre the need for an amendment to the NDPS Act to prevent those involved in the drug trade from getting bail or lesser punishment because the quantity of narcotics seized from them is small.
Radhakrishnan said that there were shortcomings in the NDPS act which requires to be addressed, as Kerala is seriously impacted by the drug menace.
Chennithala assured the House and the Speaker that the issue would be discussed during the next MPs' meeting so that they can raise the matter in the Parliament and exert pressure on the central government to amend the law.
At the same time, he also said that when he raised the matter with the Centre earlier, he was told that some medicines require these drugs in small quantities, and that is why possessing them in lesser amounts is not considered a serious offence.
He said that the government and its agencies are trying to find out the source of the drugs in the state through strict and scientific measures.
The minister said that the government's 'Operation Toofaan' seeks to achieve the aim of eradicating the drug network from the state, and it has been receiving help from all sections, including religious and community organisations as well as celebrities, of the society in the endeavour.
He said steps are also being taken to create awareness among the youth against the dangers posed by drugs, which are coming into the state via, rail, road, sea and air.
Chennithala said that the state is launching more anti-drug initiatives on June 26 on the occasion of 'International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking'.
Meanwhile, according to the police, till June 22, 3,525 cases have been registered as part of Operation Toofaan, and a total of 3,788 arrests have been made.
In addition to that, nearly two kilograms of MDMA and over 320 kgs of cannabis have been seized till June 22 as part of the operation, which was launched on June 2, police have said.
