Anti-narcotics drive in Thiruvananthapuram rural results in over 2,600 arrests in 2025

Thiruvananthapuram: An anti-narcotics drive by Thiruvananthapuram rural police in the past one year has resulted in the arrest of 2,666 persons and the registration of 2,474 cases.Police also identified 114 daytime drug-dealing black spots and seized large quantities of narcotic substances during the period. The seizures included 2,867.24g of MDMA, 234kg of cannabis, 105g of charas, 10.2g of hashish oil, 31 LSD stamps weighing 0.42g, 167 nitrazepam pills and two cannabis plants. Officers said the operations relied heavily on continuous drone surveillance at identified hotspots, followed by targeted raids based on analysis of drone footage. The drive was further strengthened by tip-offs from the public and intelligence gathered from those who were previously arrested in drug-related cases. Drug detection dogs and a dedicated police database were also used to track repeat offenders and trafficking networks. Investigations pointed to a changing pattern in drug trafficking, with women and students increasingly being used as carriers. During the period, seven women, including a BDS student, were arrested in connection with drug trafficking cases. A senior police officer said recent cases indicated a clear shift in trafficking methods. "Women are increasingly being used as carriers. Last Oct, our district anti-narcotic special action force (Dansaf) team recovered over 300g of MDMA from Pozhiyoor, concealed on a woman's body. Traffickers are also shifting operations to late-night and early-morning hours to evade police surveillance," the officer said. An excise officer said schoolchildren are among the most vulnerable targets for drug networks. "Children are easier to lure and intimidate. That is why surveillance has been stepped up in the vicinity of schools. We are receiving full cooperation from teachers and parents," the official said. A senior excise officer said many youngsters are now shifting to synthetic drugs such as MDMA because they are difficult to identify and can be easily transported. "Synthetic drugs are difficult to detect because they are odourless, unlike ganja, which can be detected through its scent. A few milligrams of MDMA are enough to make anyone intoxicated," he said. Despite the intensified enforcement, police said an acute manpower shortage continued to hamper sustained operations. The rural SP sought the deployment of 1,337 additional personnel and requested the allocation of new vehicles to replace ageing ones nearing condemnation.