kerala-s-drug-and-crime-crisis-time-for-desperate-measures

Kerala — India’s most literate state known for its backwaters, spices, coconuts and houseboats has been making it to the news for very concerning reasons since a while now. This year the record numbers in crime started trickling in unusually early. Last month, a Kerala Police study revealed that the state recorded 70 murders in just 59 days since the beginning of the year. The study, analysing these cases, finds that these 70 murders occurred across 65 separate incidents with a significant number rooted in domestic disputes. The report further notes that 22 murders were committed by perpetrators while directly under the influence of alcohol, with two of them being linked to substance abuse. 

 

The Devil, it seems, has been eyeing God's Own Country especially judging by the crime rate which has been consistently high over the years. In 2022, according to the Crime in India report, Kerala had the highest rate of filing charge sheets in the country for offences under the Indian Penal Code. According to the NCRB data, the total cognizable offences under the IPC in Kerala in 2022 were 2.35 lakh — the highest in India.

 

The rising menace of drugs

 

The alarming numbers align with the macro developments in the state, which has also been reeling under the influence of substance abuse. Both the fatal social ills of drugs and crime co-exist, fuel and explain each other’s’ presence. In 2024, Kerala recorded 27, 701 cases under the NDPS Act. A number that is more than three times Punjab’s cases, as per the data furnished by Union Home Ministry. 

 

The state government claims it is aggressively monitoring narcotics abuse through various measures and also claims a high conviction rate, around 98%, in NDPS cases. However, its statistics and claims vary from the data furnished by the central government. Often compared to the border state of Punjab, which is the epicenter of drugs, Kerala is also structured in a way to facilitate trafficking.

 

With trafficking routes spanning both land and a 600-km long coastline, Kerala’s drug trade is structured and efficient. This is especially evidenced by the intercepts and seizures by the Narcotics Control Bureau.

 

There was a time when the drug busts would comprise contrabands in mere grams or kilograms, however experts rue how the NCB now busts entire ships consisting of synthetic drugs. In 2019, total synthetic drug seizures in Kochi weighed to the tune 2.49 kg; cut to 2023 and a single drug haul comprised 2525 kg of methamphetamine.

 

This year on March 29, the NCB intercepted a parcel arriving at the foreign post Ernakulam, which was later found to contain 50 concealed blots of LSD. The contraband was sourced from Mexico and the operation led to the arrest of three individuals including a Dutch national. The officials have hinted at a well-established international drug syndicate. “The seizure underscores our firm resolve in dismantling transnational drug trafficking networks,” said the central law enforcement agency in a statement.

 

What are the authorities doing?

 

The state authorities and government have clearly missed the proverbial stitch in time which might have nipped the evil in the bud. Even though anti-drugs seminars generously dot the public event calendars of the state; from seminar halls in schools targeting 6th graders to senior members in public libraries, any change is not yet visible at ground level. The initiatives and efforts by the state administration though there, have been a bit late and are still not nearly enough to curb the spread of drug menace.

 

The rising menace of substance abuse, especially synthetic drugs, has grown severe enough to reverberate in the halls of Kerala assembly. In February of this year, the state assembly paused all other business to devote an entire day to address the issue of drugs. The assembly witnessed a fiery discussion between Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala as the opposition accused the government of not enforcing stringent and sweeping measures to curb the violence and drug abuse among state’s youth. “The anti-drug operations have failed miserably, and the government is squarely responsible for this,” Chennithala shouted as tempers and emotions both soared high in the assembly. 

 

Campaigns with simple clear messages like “No to Drugs” and “Life is Beautiful” have made it to the state sponsored campaigns across all social media platforms but can’t be relied upon for immediate arrest of the drug menace from spreading further. The Kerala Police, in order to be more relevant and effective, borrowed a punchline from a popular Mohanlal film, “Narcotics is dirty business.”

 

Vigilante committees, reward for whistle-blowers, and 24x7 toll free numbers encouraging citizens to come forward with any information on drugs being consumed, trafficked or transported have sprung up in the region. But arresting drugs requires firm resolve of the authorities, cosmic levels of patience and absolute cooperation of the citizens. For starters, Kerala can exchange notes with Punjab on the measures that have not worked as Punjab is still fighting the crisis. It can also learn lessons galore from Portugal, perhaps the only country to be winning the war on drugs. However, history is testament to the fact that any war on drugs is rarely won and if at all, neither easily and least of all instantly.