Drug menace in Kerala: Will the government bridge the gaps in enforcement?

 Drug-related crimes have gone high-tech, but for a long time, Kerala’s Excise Department remained ill-equipped and constrained in handling narcotics cases. Now, the department is working to strengthen its coordination with the Kerala Police to enhance the anti-drug drive.

Excise officers undergo training in drug law enforcement, as well as modern methods for detecting and preventing drug trafficking. They also receive training in cyber-surveillance, financial tracking of drug networks, and forensic analysis to bolster their enforcement capabilities. However, on the ground, the cyber wing of the excise department has largely remained ineffective so far because of its dependency on the police for inputs. The cyber-trained officers of the department primarily coordinate with the police and do not have the authority to independently track the location of suspects using surveillance tools.

“We cannot compare ourselves to the police,” says Kerala’s Excise Commissioner Mahipal Yadav. “The police have significant powers, including the authority to intercept communications under the Telegraph Act and IT Act. They can obtain call detail records (CDRs) and other cyber-related information from telecom service providers. Additionally, the police have the ability to track the live location of absconding suspects, as they are a law enforcement agency. However, the Excise Department does not have these powers, which means we must operate within those constraints.”

Kerala has witnessed a significant rise in NDPS (narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances) cases in recent years. The majority of cases involved possession, often for personal use, hinting at a fast-growing user base. Unlike many other states, where cases are largely concentrated in metro cities, Kerala's drug problem is widespread, with a substantial number of cases reported from every district, even though more urbanised districts top the list. This diffused spread makes the inefficiencies in drug enforcement even more challenging to address.

Sources from the department say that often, excise officers face delays in getting information from the police cyber wing as its requests are not prioritised and there is a lack of coordination between the two departments. Excise officers have a major dependency on the police for inputs when dealing with cases involving interstate anti-drug operations.

There is also an indication that because of a lack of support from police, some excise officers use their personal contacts in central intelligence to get cyber-related informatons. “To address these issues, we have initiated a coordinated effort with the police and other agencies,” says Yadav. “I recently met with Mr. Manoj Abraham, ADGP, Law & Order, and also held an online meeting with all district police chiefs (DPCs) and district excise officers. During the discussion, we identified existing gaps, and the police agreed to assist us.”

Yadav hopes this initiative will lead to a seamless flow of information between the departments. He is optimistic that it will result in improved coordination and greater efficiency moving forward. Notably, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has called for a high-level meeting on March 24 to discuss the action plan against the drug rackets in the state.