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Kerala expands Operation Toofan anti-drug campaign

Updated 3 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-30 03:59 UTC → 2026-10-06 15:35 UTC · added removed

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. To date, authorities have registered 10,918 Recent enforcement data shows the campaign has now resulted in the registration of 12,050 cases and arrested 11,776 individuals, with significant the arrest of 13,002 individuals. Recent seizures including over 23 kg under this drive include 153.379 grams of MDMA and 1,475 5.346 kg of cannabis. 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 enforcement 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.

Versions

  1. 2026-10-06 15:35 UTC Kerala expands Operation Toofan anti-drug campaign
  2. 2026-09-30 03:59 UTC Kerala expands Operation Toofan anti-drug campaign
  3. 2026-09-18 14:54 UTC Kerala expands Operation Toofan anti-drug campaign
  4. 2026-09-05 18:54 UTC Kerala anti-drug campaign Operation Toofan

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