Ezhumattoor (Pathanamthitta): A man who allegedly ran an anti-drug campaign while also being involved in drug use and trafficking has been arrested by the police.

Sharfine Sebastian (25), a resident of Ezhumattoor was taken into custody by the District Anti-Narcotic Special Action Force (DANSAF) team and the Ranni Sub-Division DANSAF team. Police said he was found consuming and allegedly selling the synthetic psychoactive drug MDMA while also posing as an anti-drug activist.

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Authorities recovered 1.590 grams of MDMA from his possession. During further investigation, police also found an identity card stating that he was the state president of the Youth Movement of an organisation called “Anti Drugs Movement in Nation.”

As part of Operation Toofan, District Police Chief R. Anand received information about the case. Since then, the DANSAF team kept the accused under surveillance for several days.

On Sunday afternoon, after thoroughly searching Sharfine’s house, police recovered MDMA hidden among books. Officials also seized drug-use paraphernalia, including a glass device used for consuming MDMA and smoking pipes used for heating the substance.

Police said Sharfine was involved in anti-drug activities in the locality and had claimed to be a state-level leader of an anti-drug organisation.

“Operation Toofan - The Narco Hunt” is an initiative launched by the Kerala Police to dismantle drug networks in the state. The project is being implemented in coordination with the Education, Health, and Excise departments. The state-level inauguration of the programme was held on June 2, 2026, at Cotton Hill School in Thiruvananthapuram. The event was inaugurated by Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan.