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India’s southern states join Kerala to intensify anti-narcotics drive
The Kerala government has successfully launched Operation Toofan, arresting more than 6,000 drug peddlers and registering over 5,500 cases in the past 45 days
- PUBLISHED: Thu 16 Jul 2026, 5:28 PM UPDATED: Thu 16 Jul 2026, 8:14 PM
South Indian states will intensify their fight against drugs trafficking, especially as the narcotics trade is targeting school and college students. Kerala home minister Ramesh Chennithala, who recently launched ‘Operation Toofan – The Narco Hunt’, has also got the backing of all the chief ministers in the five southern states and in the union territory of Puducherry.
Chennithala met Tamil Nadu chief minister C. Joseph Vijay and appraised him of the drug menace in the southern states. The Kerala government successfully launched Operation Toofan and in the last 45 days has arrested over 6,000 drug peddlers and registered 5,500 cases. He also invited Vijay to Kerala.
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“Our brand ambassador is Mohanlal (the superstar). Mohanlal and Vijay, who is the brand ambassador for Tamil Nadu, will be together in Kerala for a big function in August,” Chennithala said. Mohanlal has been named as the campaign’s first ‘Toofan Warrior.’
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The Tamil Nadu chief minister, popularly known as ‘Thalapathy’ (commander or leader in Tamil) is also a superstar, who has now switched over from films to politics. He has a huge following among the youth all over south India and “if he speaks, youngsters will listen to him,” said the Kerala minister, who has been actively campaigning against the narcotics trade.
Chennithala recently chaired a meeting of senior police officers from the five southern states (Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana) and the union territory of Puducherry.
A permanent anti-drug coordination network between the southern states and the union territory and central government agencies including the Narcotics Control Bureau, Intelligence Bureau and the Customs department will be set up soon.
Earlier this month, Chennithala met D.K. Shivakumar, the Karnataka chief minister in Bengaluru. The two agreed to boost border surveillance to tackle the growing narcotics problem.
The Kerala minister has also been highlighting the new methods adopted by traffickers including online deals, misuse of food delivery platforms, dropping drugs from moving trains and courier services.
Chennithala has also warned pharmacists not to dispense medicines without valid prescriptions, as there have been intelligence reports of some cancer drugs being diverted for the narcotics trade. The government plans to set up separate Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) courts in Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram.
The Indian government has decided to set up a coordinated multi-agency offensive to tackle international drug syndicates operating in the country. The new initiative aims to identify key trafficking corridors, focus on the major kingpins and track operations across the Golden Triangle in Southeast Asia.
