KOCHI: The state Excise Department is gearing up to launch a highway patrol squad to check smuggling of drugs through roadways.
The department’s decision comes close on the heels of the news that Kerala was second in the country for the number of drug cases and arrest of peddlers in 2018.
The squad will be modelled on the Kerala Police highway patrol, which currently lacks the required strength and resources to tackle the rising drug menace, with smuggling mostly taking place through the state’s porous borders.
“Organised rackets are smuggling in drugs, liquor and other contraband by road. By introducing a dedicated patrol wing to check the vehicles along the roads, we’ll be able to bring down smuggling activities,” said a senior Excise officer.
Latest data with the Ministry of Home Affairs shows Kerala with 7,477 arrests in 6,616 cases in 2018 was second behind Punjab which recorded 9,031 arrests in 7,869 cases.
On average, around 25 Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act cases are registered daily in the state. In an order dated June 20, 2019, the Principal Secretary sanctioned Rs 1.68 crore for purchasing vehicles required for setting up the squad.
The Excise Department has been asked to avoid luxury vehicles and opt for compatible ones. They should be purchased through Government e-Marketplace, the portal which facilitates online procurement of common-use goods and services required by various government departments and PSUs.
State Excise Commissioner S Ananthakrishnan said they were yet to get the fund.