KOCHI: At just 19, Aditya’s body had begun to fail him. His teeth had fallen out, his hands trembled uncontrollably, and doctors said he was in the final phase of his life. Once a bright student who cleared his Plus Two in flying colours, Aditya did not know much about the whereabouts or identity of the person who supplied the ethylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) that gradually destroyed him.
Aditya began using the drug on the advice of a young man who claimed the pills would improve memory and concentration. The promise proved fatal.
After failing to crack the NEET examination twice, Aditya joined coaching classes. Around that time, his parents noticed drastic changes in his behaviour: Frequent bouts of anger over trivial issues, unexplained expenses, and withdrawal from family life. Friends of his parents suggested counselling, and medical tests later confirmed their worst fear.
“We failed to notice the changes at the beginning. That is our biggest regret as parents,” his mother Kavitha told TNIE with folded hands. Fearing social stigma and the impact on their daughter’s future, the family told relatives and neighbours that Aditya was suffering from terminal cancer. “Even close family members are unaware of what really happened to our boy,” she said.
His father Mohan said their busy lives prevented them from understanding what their son was going through. The couple now plans to move to another city after Aditya passes away, in the hope that it will free them from the heartbreaking memories.
The invisible supplier
TNIE attempted to trace the source of the MDMA supplied to Aditya, but the effort ran into an expected wall. Like most addicted drug users, Aditya knew only an immediate contact and nothing about the larger network behind the supply.
However, the investigation led TNIE to another link in the chain: An MBBS graduate who is now a drug supplier operating in Kochi.
Suresh, who completed his medical degree, said that he was introduced to drugs during his hostel life. The addiction cost him his job, his family and his future. When police visits to his house became frequent, his parents forced him to leave.
“I know very well about the side effects of drugs. But I couldn’t live without them,” he said. With no money or support, Suresh accepted an offer from his supplier to transport drugs to Kochi.
He described a tightly controlled operation based in Bengaluru. He was sent a GPS location, picked up in a cab, blindfolded, and taken to a warehouse-like building on the outskirts of the city. There, he met an African national who introduced himself only as “Cook”.
“I don’t know his real name,” Suresh said. “He handed over 50 packets, and I managed to make it to Kochi.”
According to him, MDMA networks deliberately target students preparing for competitive examinations such as NEET. “Initial doses are often given for free, claiming the drug helps reduce stress and improve focus. Once they get addicted, they are charged up to `5,000 per packet. If they cannot pay, some are pushed into crimes like chain snatching,” he said.
African connection
Senior police officers confirmed that some MDMA manufacturing units based in Bengaluru are allegedly run by African nationals who are identified using aliases. An officer recounted Kochi police’s netting of a Nigerian drug peddler last year and seizure of narcotics worth `23 crore.
“Unlike other crimes, drug cases involve an unknown enemy. Those caught usually know only their immediate supplier. The Bengaluru-based African rackets have networks extending up to Delhi,” a senior intelligence wing official said.
On the receiving end
Police data accessed by TNIE points to the alarming scale of the problem among young people. In Kochi city, cops arrested 2,475 suppliers in 2024. In 2025, the figure rose to 3,005. Of those arrested last year, around 400 were aged 18, and nearly 350 were 19. About 70% of those caught were under the age of 35.
In Ernakulam Rural district, police rounded up 4,138 peddlers last year, with a largely similar age profile.
Trains, bushes & ganja trail
TNIE also traced ganja supply routes feeding Kochi, largely originating from Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
Pradeepta, a daily wager from Odisha, explained how some gangs use migrant workers to support the supply chain.
“I was asked to take photos of isolated plots with tall bushes near railway stations in Kerala and share GPS locations when trains passed by,” he said. “Later I realised ganja packets were being thrown from trains into these places and collected later.”
Another method involves leaving ganja-filled bags inside specific train coaches. Details such as coach number, seat location and photographs of bags are shared with receivers at destination stations. A spotter travels in the same coach to alert suppliers if police notice the consignment.
“Ganja bought for `2,000 per kg from Naxalite-affected areas of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh is sold in Kochi for `20,000 or more,” Pradeepta said.
According to him, ganja is mostly sold to migrant labourers, while MDMA and hydroponic weed are pushed among students, young professionals and those linked to the film fraternity.
“MDMA is available in powder, capsule and tablet forms. It can be easily hidden and used without attracting attention. That is why many students are falling into the trap,” he said.
Fear, silence & way forward
TNIE spoke to several affected families, many of whom shared stories similar to Aditya’s. Most declined to come forward publicly, citing social stigma, threats from drug networks and concern for the future of their other children.
Police officers stressed that enforcement alone cannot address the crisis.
“We are conducting regular awareness programmes in schools and colleges and have arrested many peddlers. But public cooperation is crucial. People must report such cases, and we assure complete confidentiality,” said K A Abdul Salam, assistant commissioner, narcotic wing, Kochi City police.
For families like Aditya’s, the warning has come too late. Investigators say breaking the silence may be the only way to prevent the next tragedy.
(TNIE interviewed around 15 people for this investigation. Names and identifying details have been changed to maintain confidentiality)