Kerala Police Launch Operation Toofan, Book 1,500 Drug Cases and Arrest 1,000 in 72 Hours

Kerala Police has intensified its anti-narcotics drive under Operation Toofan , registering more than 1,500 cases and making over 1,000 arrests within 72 hours as part of one of the state's largest coordinated crackdowns on drug trafficking.

The campaign, launched on June 2 ahead of the reopening of schools and colleges, was planned weeks in advance through intelligence gathering and surveillance. Officials said the operation aims not only to arrest drug users and local peddlers but also to dismantle interstate and international supply chains feeding Kerala's narcotics market.

The initiative was formally launched at Cotton Hill Girls Higher Secondary School in Thiruvananthapuram by Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan in the presence of Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala . The government chose the name "Toofan" to send a clear anti-drug message to Kerala's diverse population, including migrant workers, professionals and tourists.

State Police Chief Ravada A. Chandrasekhar said investigators have identified key drug routes into Kerala. According to police, cannabis is largely sourced from the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border region, while synthetic drugs such as MDMA enter through Bengaluru and other transit points, including airports in Thiruvananthapuram and Karipur.

Investigators have used digital evidence recovered from seized mobile phones to trace trafficking networks. The operation led to the arrest of alleged international drug syndicate operative Samuel Clifson Okfor in Delhi and another suspect in Bengaluru who are suspected of supplying narcotics to Kerala-based networks.

Several unusual seizures have drawn public attention, including a Thrissur case in which police discovered ganja hidden inside a pressure cooker after officers detected its smell during a raid.

Operation Toofan is built around four pillars : enforcement through "Toofan Strike", rehabilitation through "Toofan Care", campus monitoring through "Toofan Warriors", and statewide public awareness campaigns. Authorities have also launched anonymous mobile and WhatsApp helplines, encouraging citizens to share information as Kerala expands its campaign against organised drug trafficking.