In 2018, Kerala’s drug seizures totalled 1378.337 kg, predominantly cannabis-based drugs (1370.289 kg). By 2022, this figure had ballooned to 5,639.273 kg — a 309 percent increase in just five years.
Published Apr 05, 2025 | 4:00 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 07, 2025 | 2:12 PM
Drugs in the form of powder and tablets, a spoon and a syringe. (iStock)
Synopsis: In recent years, Kerala has been witnessing an increasing trend in drug abuse. Narcotic drug seizures recorded a three-fold increase from 2018 to 2022. According to the state police, most crimes in Kerala are also linked to drug abuse.
Kerala, long celebrated as a beacon of social progress and high human development, is facing a creeping crisis that threatens to unravel its achievements: The alarming rise of the drug menace.
The data presented in the Rajya Sabha on 2 April 2025, paints a stark picture. According to statistics from the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, drug seizures in Kerala between 2018 and 2022 show a troubling trend: Confiscations have more than tripled, increasing sharply from 1378.337 kg in 2018 to 5,639.273 kg in 2022.
This steep escalation, driven primarily by cannabis and an emerging surge in psychotropic substances like MDMA, is a wake-up call for policymakers, law enforcement and society at large. The numbers don’t lie: Kerala’s drug problem is growing at an alarming rate, and the time to act is now.
Drug seizures in Kerala
In 2018, Kerala’s drug seizures totalled 1378.337 kg, predominantly cannabis-based drugs (1370.289 kg). By 2022, this figure had ballooned to 5,639.273 kg — a 309 percent increase in just five years.
Cannabis seizures alone rose from 1370.289 kg to 5,182.898 kg, while 2022 marked a dramatic entry of psychotropic substances (447.303 kg), hinting at a shift toward synthetic drugs.
This isn’t a statistical anomaly; it’s a pattern of proliferation. Kerala’s consistent mid-tier ranking (19th or 20th among 36 states and Union Territories) belies the scale of the problem when viewed in isolation — its seizures are dwarfed by states like Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh but the rate of increase is what sets off alarm bells.
Unfortunately, Kerala’s geographic position as a coastal state with bustling ports and proximity to international trafficking routes makes it a prime target for drug networks.
The steady rise in cannabis seizures suggests entrenched local cultivation and distribution, while the sudden spike in psychotropic substances in 2022 points to infiltration by synthetic drug syndicates, possibly leveraging the dark web and cryptocurrency — trends the Indian government has acknowledged in its fight against narco-trafficking.
The state’s high literacy and connectivity, ironically, may be aiding this menace, providing traffickers with sophisticated means to operate under the radar. If unchecked, Kerala risks becoming a gateway for drugs into South India.
Speaking to South First on condition of anonymity, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) of the Crime Branch blamed the Kerala government’s failures for driving the state into this crisis.
According to the DySP, the Narcotic Cell lacks sufficient personnel to tackle the growing drug menace effectively. “Moreover, their hands are tied in many ways, which ultimately limits their role,” the DySP explained, adding that the government shows little concern for addressing the root sources of the drug supply in the state.
“Only a handful of carriers and users are being arrested, and that’s not enough to resolve the situation,” he concluded.
A parliamentary document from March reveals that Kerala is served by a single Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) office in Cochin Zone, staffed with a limited workforce of only 31 individuals.
The Union government’s response, as outlined in the Rajya Sabha document, includes maritime surveillance, precursor chemical regulation, and a national helpline (MANAS). Yet, Kerala’s data suggests these measures aren’t keeping pace with the problem.
While the NCB has interdicted 96 darknet-related cases nationwide between 2020 and 2024, the state-specific impact remains unclear. Kerala’s seizures have grown despite these efforts, indicating gaps in local enforcement, intelligence, and community-level prevention. The state’s mid-tier ranking might lull authorities into complacency but the rapid rise demands a tailored, aggressive strategy.
According to another document tabled in the Parliament on 2 April, NCB reported the destruction of approximately 865,547 kg of narcotic drugs in 2022, 762,015 kg in 2023 and 451,088 kg in 2024.
Mini Mohan, a sociologist and psychologist, explained to South First that beyond the quantity of drugs seized, there lies a human toll.
“Kerala’s youth — its greatest asset — are increasingly vulnerable. Reports of rising addiction, drug-related crimes, and overdoses are no longer anecdotal; they’re a growing reality. Cannabis may dominate the seizures, but the arrival of psychotropic substances like methamphetamine and MDMA signals a shift to harder, more addictive drugs,” she said adding that these substances don’t just destroy lives — they strain healthcare systems, burden law enforcement, and erode the social fabric of a state that prides itself on cohesion.
“The 229 percent surge in drug seizures over five years isn’t just a number; it’s a distress signal. Kerala’s leaders must act decisively to protect its future, or risk losing the very qualities that make it exceptional,” she added.
In March, the Kerala Police reported that 30 out of the 63 murders recorded in the state between January and February were connected to substance abuse.
Out of these total murders, 50 occurred within homes or stemmed from disputes among friends. According to police records, approximately 20 percent of all criminal activities in Kerala during this period were linked to substance abuse.
(The writer is an independent journalist, forced labour investigator, migrant rights activist and author of Undocumented-Penguin-2021. Views expressed here are personal. Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
