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5 clusters · 8 sources · 52 days · First seen · Last updated

Kerala expands Operation Toofan anti-drug campaign

Overview

The Kerala government has launched the second phase of ‘Operation Toofan,’ an intensive anti-drug campaign. Following an initial phase that reportedly reduced drug use in the state by 20 to 30 percent, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala inaugurated the ‘Toofan Janajagratha Samithi’ in Malappuram to promote community involvement and volunteer recruitment.

To manage high-value narcotics cases with interstate and international connections, the government has established a new Anti-Narcotics Investigation Team with dedicated units in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, and Kozhikode. Recent enforcement data shows the campaign has now resulted in the registration of 12,050 cases and the arrest of 13,002 individuals. Recent seizures under this drive include 153.379 grams of MDMA and 5.346 kg of ganja. Beyond enforcement, the campaign has expanded its preventative reach, conducting over 10,852 awareness classes and 877 counseling sessions across the state.

Despite these efforts, the campaign has faced local criticism. In areas such as Ernakulam, residents and traders have raised concerns regarding the effectiveness of arrests, noting that street-level sellers are often released on bail and continue their activities or are quickly replaced. This has led to calls for authorities to investigate the underlying supply chains and support systems that allow networks to persist.

On an international level, Bhutan has expressed interest in modeling its own anti-drug campaign after Operation Toofan. Bhutanese Home Minister Lungten Dorji indicated plans to study the program’s implementation through official visits.

Entities

Ramesh Chennithala · Operation Toofan · Kerala Police · Kerala Government · Reasi Police

Timeline

  1. [CRIME] 4 sources
    Indian police conduct major anti-narcotics operations in Kerala and Jammu & Kashmir

    Police in Kerala and Jammu & Kashmir have conducted major anti-drug operations, resulting in thousands of arrests in Kerala under “Operation Toofan” and the seizure of heroin and weapons in Reasi.

  2. [CRIME] 2 sources
    Kerala launches second phase of Operation Toofan anti-drug campaign

    Kerala has launched the second phase of Operation Toofan, a statewide anti-drug campaign, amid community concerns regarding the persistence of drug supply chains following arrests.

  3. [CRIME] 3 sources
    Kerala expands Operation Toofan as Bhutan adopts anti-drug model

    Kerala has formed a specialized Anti-Narcotics Investigation Team to bolster Operation Toofan, while Bhutan announces plans to model its own anti-drug campaign on the Indian state's successful initiative.

  4. [CRIME] 2 sources
    Kerala launches second phase of ‘Operation Toofan’ anti-drug drive

    Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala announced the second phase of ‘Operation Toofan,’ shifting the anti-drug campaign toward grassroots awareness and door-to-door community outreach.

  5. [CRIME] 2 sources
    Kerala intensifies Operation Toofan drug crackdown

    Kerala is ramping up Operation Toofan, an anti-drug campaign, ahead of Onam, leading to nearly 10,000 arrests and significant overcrowding in state prisons.

Sources

bhaskarlive.in · deccanchronicle.com · jknewsline.com · latestly.com · newindianexpress.com · news18.com · newsable.asianetnews.com · thekashmirimages.com

This summary has been updated 3 times: see revision history