Thiruvananthapuram | Narcotic substances and banned tobacco products worth over Rs 10 crore have been seized and 2,778 people arrested during the first 15 days of the statewide anti-drug crackdown 'Operation Toofan', Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said on Tuesday.
The minister said 2,575 cases have been registered so far as part of the operation, which is being jointly carried out by the Kerala Police and Excise Department with the support of the Health, Education and other government departments, he said.
He was addressing a press conference after an inter-agency coordination meeting at the police headquarters here.
The seizures included various quantities of MDMA, ganja, hashish oil, brown sugar, LSD stamps and banned tobacco products, with an estimated international market value exceeding Rs 10 crore, he said.
Of the total cases registered, 838 involved small quantities of narcotic substances, 78 were medium quantity cases and 24 involved commercial quantities, the minister added.
Chennithala said the government has decided to further intensify 'Operation Toofan' with the support and cooperation of various central agencies.
Representatives of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Railway Protection Force (RPF), Central Narcotics Bureau, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Customs, Court Guard and Marine Enforcement, among other agencies, participated in the meeting.
The minister said investigators had already obtained specific information regarding the routes and sources through which narcotic substances were reaching Kerala and that the probe would soon reach the key suppliers behind the trafficking network.
"Future investigations and enforcement activities will make full use of modern scientific and technological tools. A multi-agency digital integrated project is also being planned to strengthen anti-drug operations and tackle the menace in a more scientific manner," he said.
Chennithala said superstar Mohanlal had joined the anti-drug campaign as part of the 'Toofan Warriors' initiative.
He asserted that the crackdown would continue until the roots of the drug mafia were eradicated and Kerala was freed from the threat of narcotics.
Soon after the UDF government assumed office, the Home Department announced Operation Toofan, a state-wide anti-narcotics campaign to curb the trafficking, sale and consumption of drugs through coordinated enforcement, intelligence-sharing and public participation.
The drive brings together multiple state and central agencies to identify supply chains, dismantle trafficking networks and strengthen preventive measures against substance abuse.
