KOCHI: As Operation Toofan enters its second phase, residents in Ernakulam’s drug hotspots want police to answer a crucial question: what happens to the drug supply chain after street-level sellers are arrested and released on bail? Residents and traders in Perumbavoor, Aluva, Kalamassery and the Ambalamugal-Karimugal belt said local support for accused persons, repeat involvement and the alleged replacement of arrested sellers are issues that warrant investigation.
“Many migrant workers arrested for drug offences are bailed out by local persons. We have seen instances where a person was released and continued with the same activity. Police should find out who is supporting such persons and whether they are returning to the same network,” said P K Basheer, a senior citizen and resident of Perumbavoor.
People also want police to compare cases across station limits, saying separate arrests could be connected through common suppliers, associates, or alleged replacement sellers.
“One person is arrested and another appears in his place. This is happening in Aluva, Perumbavoor and other areas. If the police want to break the network, they have to identify who supplies the drugs and who helps the sellers continue after they are released,” said Thomas Antony, a resident of Aluva.
In Ambalamugal, traders said the movement of people allegedly involved in the trade between locations makes it harder to track such links.
“There are thousands of migrant workers here who have nothing to do with drugs. But there are some who work with local gangs and supply drugs. We have seen instances of people involved in the trade shifting locations after they are released when they face cases in one place,” said Sashi, a trader from Ambalamugal.
A senior lawyer practising in the Ernakulam district courts said investigators could examine whether criminal groups provide legal assistance to their members.
“There is a nexus between various criminal gangs and drug rackets. In some cases, these gangs arrange bail for those involved,” the lawyer said.
Police officers said they were aware of the concern and were monitoring repeat offenders.
“We have noted it. But bail is a legal process and cannot be stopped by the police. However, we are tracking their activities and the information is being reported to senior officers. In some cases, we have information that some local persons supporting bail may be receiving financial assistance from these gangs,” a senior police officer said.
The officer said police are invoking the PITNDPS Act and the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA) against some repeat offenders. They added that more measures are also being planned to tackle support mechanisms linked to the continuation of drug-related activities.
The issue gains significance with the state recently setting up an Anti-Narcotics Investigation Team, with one of its three units based in Ernakulam, to investigate high-value drug cases involving interstate and international links and identify trafficking kingpins, major gang members and sources of narcotics.
As Toofan enters its second phase, the central question for investigators is whether they can move beyond individual arrests, identify those allegedly facilitating the post-bail cycle, and disrupt the support network that residents say helps keep the wider drug chain functioning.