Operation Toofan's next phase to plug drug trafficking routes: Chennithala

Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 10 (PTI) Kerala will soon launch the next phase of Operation Toofan, its comprehensive anti-drug campaign, in coordination with central agencies and police chiefs of southern states to plug all routes through which narcotics enter the state, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said on Friday. Describing it as a major inter-agency operation, Chennithala said the objective is to eliminate loopholes exploited by drug traffickers and strengthen surveillance along Kerala's borders as well as transport networks. "The next phase of Operation Toofan will be a major coordinated exercise involving central agencies and the DGPs of southern states. The aim is to seal all loopholes through which drugs are entering Kerala," he told a press conference here. Earlier in the day, he chaired an inter-state coordination meeting on the anti-drug initiative at the Kerala Police headquarters here. The meeting, convened to strengthen cooperation among southern states in combating narcotics trafficking and organised cross-border crime, was attended by police chiefs and senior officers from central enforcement agencies. North Zone IG and Operation Toofan Nodal Officer Putta Vimaladitya made a detailed presentation on the objectives of the campaign, its operational strategy and coordination mechanisms among various agencies, according to a police statement. The minister, during the press conference, said the drive would focus on preventing the movement of narcotics through road, rail, air and water routes, with the ultimate goal of making Kerala a completely drug-free state. He said drug traffickers have been adopting newer methods to evade enforcement following the launch of Operation Toofan. According to the minister, narcotics are now being supplied through online platforms and courier services, while peddlers are also dropping consignments from trains before they reach their final destinations. Chennithala also expressed concern over the misuse of prescription medicines, saying certain drugs, including medicines meant for cancer patients, were being diverted for abuse. He said no prescription drug should be sold without a valid doctor's prescription and urged medical shop owners to exercise greater vigilance. The minister said he has discussed the issue with the health minister and indicated that a joint enforcement drive would be launched, if required, to curb the misuse of prescription medicines. PTI LGK KH