The numbers of cases registered and arrests made under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act by the Kochi City police have doubled in June compared to the previous five months, in a clear indication of increased enforcement as part of the Statewide ‘Operation Toofan: The Narco Hunt’.
The city police registered 1,143 drug-related cases and arrested 1,280 people in the first six months of this year. Of these, 503 cases and 541 arrests were recorded in June alone, following the launch of the new anti-drug operation.
Among the cases registered till June this year, 27 pertained to the seizure of suspected narcotic substances in commercial quantity, 53 to intermediate quantity, and 654 to small quantity. The NDPS Act classifies quantities based on the type of narcotic drug or psychotropic substance involved. In June alone, four cases involving commercial quantity, 21 involving intermediate quantity, and 295 involving small quantity were registered.
Sources in the police’s anti-narcotic wing said the spike in cases involving intermediate quantities of narcotic substances pointed to an alarming trend. “Most of the cases involving intermediate quantities pertain to the seizure of MDMA from youngsters. They were involved in both drug use and peddling. Most of them started out as users and gradually turned to peddling to make money,” an officer said.
Under the NDPS Act, up to 0.5 gram of MDMA is classified as a small quantity, while 10 grams or more is classified as a commercial quantity. Any quantity between the two is treated as an intermediate quantity.
The police seized 143.71 kg of suspected ganja and 2.30 kg of suspected MDMA in the first six months of this year. Of this, 44.66 kg of ganja and 484.21 grams of MDMA—around one-third and one-fourth of the total seizures, respectively—were confiscated in June alone.
Though the impact of Operation Toofan is reflected in this year’s figures, a comparison with the previous year’s data shows a similar trend. The 1,143 NDPS cases registered in the first six months of 2026 account for less than half of the 3,005 cases recorded during the whole of 2025. A total of 1,280 people were arrested in connection with the cases till the end of June, compared with 3,325 arrests made in 2025.
Police sources, however, said the overall number of cases and arrests is likely to rise this year if the renewed momentum in enforcement drives continues. “The anti-drug operations had slowed down around March and April this year, mainly due to election-related work and transfers. The number of District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force squads had also come down to two from four during that period. All four teams have now been reinstated as part of efforts to step up the ongoing drive,” an officer said.
Published – July 04, 2026 09:42 pm IST
