Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala: The synthetic drug MDMA has been entering Kerala in increasing quantities over the past eight years, but excise and police officials say they have still not been able to identify its source.

There are multiple reasons for the failure. Investigators themselves doubt whether so-called “MDMA kitchens” actually exist in the form often imagined. Intelligence units have also been unable to make significant inroads.

A few months ago, information suggested that MDMA labs in Bengaluru were being run by African nationals. However, Kerala police face practical difficulties in tracking sources in Karnataka. Officials say large factories are not required to manufacture such drugs, with the right precursor chemicals and technical know-how, production can take place in small facilities.

Kerala had expressed interest in conducting a joint probe with Karnataka authorities, but no concrete follow-up action materialised.

Challenges in investigation

Kerala police are generally effective in tracking accused persons across states, but narcotics investigations present different challenges.

In many cases, even local handlers do not know the origin of the drugs, or they refuse to disclose it. Probes in other states require officers to spend several days away from their stations, disrupting routine policing. The high financial cost of such operations and the need for special permission from the DGP for official vehicles also slow down investigations.

Foreign nationals and deportation

Several foreign nationals have been arrested in narcotics cases, often with expired visas. When such accused obtain bail, they are typically deported, which stalls further investigation.

During questioning, some have claimed that the synthetic drugs are manufactured abroad and brought into India for distribution, making it even harder for enforcement agencies to trace the production source.