‘Operation Toofan’ has become a people’s movement against drug mafia: Chennithala

Operation Toofan, the State government’s campaign against the drug mafia, has turned into a major people’s movement, with public participation on a scale comparable to that of the literacy campaign, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala has said.

He was speaking after inaugurating a senior citizens’ meeting organised by the Kozhikode Rural police at the Vadakara Municipal Town Hall on Monday (August 31).

The Minister said people were voluntarily joining the fight against drugs without any specific invitation or mobilisation, sending a clear message to drug traffickers. Public cooperation with the police had enabled action against drug networks based even on information provided through a single phone call, he added.

As part of Operation Toofan, 10,578 people had been arrested and drugs worth ₹170 crore seized in more than 9,000 cases since the launch of the campaign, the Minister said. The seizures included 21,362.73 grams of MDMA, 1,110.69 kg of ganja, and 523.82 grams of heroin.

He said an investigation into the seizure of 97 grams of MDMA in Malappuram had led to the recovery of 13 kg of MDMA, with an estimated market value of ₹10 crore, in Coimbatore.

Mr. Chennithala said the government and the police had intensified measures to prevent the spread of synthetic drugs and dismantle trafficking networks. He urged the public to remain vigilant and cooperate with the police, particularly to prevent the movement of drugs through border areas such as Mahe.

He said ‘Toofan Care’, launched by the State government, aimed to bring different sections of society under a common network to protect children and senior citizens and create a safer environment for them. Vadakara MLA K.K. Rema presided over the function. Vadakara MP Shafi Parambil declared the new Toofan warriors, while Padma Shri awardee Meenakshi Amma and other prominent personalities received Toofan badges.

The programme was preceded by an anti-drug awareness rally from the Vadakara Cultural Square to the Town Hall. Senior citizens, police personnel, pensioners, residents’ associations, service organisations, and traders’ groups participated in the rally.