Operation Toofan: 9,941 arrests in 78 days, jails overcrowded- but where are Kerala’s drug kingpins?

Kochi: As the Kerala Police's anti-narcotics operation 'Toofan' crosses 78 days, the total number of arrests is nearing 10,000. So far, 8.24 kg of MDMA and 979 kg of ganja have been seized as part of the operation.

Within this short period, police have made 9,941 arrests in 9,213 cases across the state. The figures mean that, on average, 127 people are being arrested every day in Kerala in connection with drug offences. The street value of the MDMA seized during this period is estimated at nearly Rs 4 crore.

However, despite the scale of Operation Toofan, the majority of those arrested are petty dealers or consumers. The kingpins behind the supply of chemical drugs and the large-scale influx of ganja into Kerala are largely based outside the state. MDMA is reportedly reaching Kerala mainly from Bengaluru, Delhi and Goa, leaving the police to arrest their agents and small-scale peddlers.

While the authorities claim to have traced the sources and initiated investigations, inter-state probes have yielded limited results, mainly due to the sheer volume of cases and a shortage of personnel. The Kerala Police also face limitations when conducting investigations in other states. The lack of digital evidence in several cases further makes it difficult to establish the links to larger drug syndicates.

Ganja, meanwhile, is reaching Kerala primarily from Odisha. Large-scale cultivation is concentrated in six districts of the state, from where the drug is transported to Kerala through a network of middlemen. Police officials say a dedicated Special Investigation Team (SIT) may be required to dismantle the extensive inter-state mafia network involved in the supply chain.

Under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, the severity of a drug offence depends largely on the quantity seized. Major syndicates are now reportedly moving drugs in small quantities to minimise the chances of facing stringent charges and to make securing bail easier if they are caught.

For ganja, the small-quantity threshold is 1 kg. In the case of cocaine, the small-quantity threshold is 2 grams, while 10 grams is classified as commercial quantity. Those caught with small quantities are also frequently involved in repeat offences.

The surge in arrests under Operation Toofan has also put additional pressure on the state's prison system. Most sub-jails are now reportedly housing up to 30 per cent more inmates than their sanctioned capacity, raising concerns over overcrowding.