The police and the Excise department in Kozhikode district have intensified their crackdown on drug peddlers in light of the Onam season, focusing on newly identified drug spots. Authorities overseeing the operation reported that several drug seizures have already been conducted with the help of informants and undercover officers. To enhance monitoring, flash checks of vehicles are being carried out across critical stretches of national and state highways. Additionally, district borders and connecting rural roads are under surveillance by anti-narcotics squads.
A senior police officer highlighted that more preventive measures are being considered following Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s recent call to intensify action against drug trafficking. Local police stations now possess lists of frequent offenders to facilitate follow-up actions. The police’s hi-tech cell is also tracking the movements of suspected individuals.
Members of the District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force revealed that recent arrests have mostly involved members of an inter-State drug network targeting students and youth with large quantities of smuggled synthetic drugs. The arrests of six key suspects followed several months of investigation. Initially, around 25 drug hotspots were identified in Kozhikode city alone, with more added to the list subsequently.
The Excise department has called for the deployment of a State-level mobile intervention unit with strike force support and the establishment of district-level control rooms to bolster the crackdown. Joint raids are planned in collaboration with the Government Railway Police, Anti-Narcotics Squad, and Forest teams at identified locations.
Original Story https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kozhikode/special-squads-to-crack-down-on-drug-pushers-in-kozhikode/article68565465.ece
Category : Kozhikode
Tags:
