THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Calling the spread of narcotic drugs the biggest challenge facing the state, Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Tuesday urged society to unite behind Operation Toofan: The Narco Hunt, a statewide anti-drug campaign aimed at eradicating the menace from Kerala.
Inaugurating the state-level launch of the programme at Cotton Hill Government Girls Higher Secondary School in Thiruvananthapuram, the chief minister said youth are the cornerstone of any society’s progress, but drug mafias are undermining that future by trapping young people in addiction.
Describing the state’s drug problem as a matter of grave concern, Satheesan said it was unfortunate that Kerala had emerged as one of the regions most affected by narcotics abuse and trafficking.
He stressed that Operation Toofan should be embraced as a collective mission by society to rid the state of the drug menace.
The campaign is being jointly implemented by the state police, the education department, the health department and the excise department. Satheesan assured the police of the state government’s full support in carrying out the mission.
Presiding over the function, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala announced the appointment of Intelligence IG Putta Vimaladitya as the nodal officer for the project.
He urged citizens to share information on drug trafficking and sales with the police, adding that dedicated mobile applications would be launched for this purpose. The police, he said, would ensure the protection of those providing confidential information.
The home minister said strict measures would be initiated against those carrying out narcotics trade through the dark web and noted that drug traffickers often maintain interstate links.