Chennai: In a major push to combat the drug menace across south India, Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Wednesday to establish a unified, inter-state front to fight the narcotics problem.

The high-level meeting focused on sealing state borders, sharing real-time intelligence and launching massive joint public awareness campaigns to protect the youth from drug syndicates.

Highlighting the success of Kerala's ongoing anti-narcotic offensive, Chennithala said that Operation Toofan has already yielded huge results.

"The crackdown has led to the arrest of over 6,000 people, the registration of 5,500 cases, and the seizure of properties belonging to drug traffickers," he told reporters at the state Secretariat after meeting Vijay.
 

However, Chennithala emphasised that state-level efforts must expand into cross-border operations to completely dismantle the smuggling network. He said following the discussion, CM Vijay assured absolute cooperation, promising to completely seal the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border to choke illicit drug supply lines.

"The police forces of both states will now work hand-in-hand, establishing a coordinated surveillance mechanism," he said, adding, "intelligence-sharing will be institutionalised to ensure prompt action against inter-state peddlers".

Stating that beyond law enforcement, the leaders are leaning heavily on star power to drive their message home, Chennithala said he had invited Vijay to Kerala for a massive anti-drug convention.

"The event is set to feature Malayalam superstar Mohanlal-Kerala's anti-drug brand ambassador-alongside Vijay, reuniting the duo who previously shared the screen in the blockbuster Tamil film ‘Jilla’," he said.

"The drug mafia is aggressively targeting school and college students, both boys and girls," Chennithala said, adding that CM Vijay's massive appeal among the youth will be vital in weaning youngsters away from addiction.

Pointing out that a recent conclave featured the Directors General of Police (DGPs) from five southern states, and discussions have already been held with Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar to secure the Karnataka borders, he said "moreover, a southern states' coordination committee will raise these critical border security and port distribution vulnerabilities at the central level with Union Home Minister Amit Shah".

PTI