Keralam Forms Anti-Narcotics Team to Intensify Operation Toofan

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala on Friday announced the formation of a new Anti-Narcotics Investigation Team to boost the ongoing anti-drug drive under Operation Toofaan.

At a press conference, Chennithala said the new team would handle high-value drug cases with interstate and international links.

The special team will operate through three dedicated units based in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, and Kozhikode. The team began functioning on Friday after the government issued an order in this regard.

It aims to speed up investigations into crucial narcotics cases and make Operation Toofaan more effective.

Inspector General of Police (North Zone) Putta Vimaladitya, the nodal officer of Operation Toofaan, will head the new team.

Each unit will include a DySP, two circle inspectors, two sub-inspectors, ten civil police officers, an assistant civil police officer, and an assistant SI.

The Home Minister said that as part of Operation Toofan, 10,918 cases have been registered and 11,776 people arrested in the state so far.

The seizures included 23.925 kg of MDMA, 1,475 kg of cannabis, 5.32 grams of hashish oil, 707 grams of brown sugar, 530 grams of heroin, 27.6 grams of cocaine, and 2,398 cannabis plants.

Chennithala mentioned that the recent seizure of 13 kg of MDMA, valued at around Rs 10 crore in Coimbatore, was the biggest drug haul involving the state.

Four key members of the drug network were arrested in connection with the case.

The accused, who reportedly remained in hiding across about 10 states without using mobile phones, were tracked down following a week-long covert operation.

As part of the probe, the investigation team carried out raids at locations in Delhi, Noida, Kolkata, Bihar, and Chennai.