Tamil Nadu and Kerala agree to boost anti drug efforts

The governments of Tamil Nadu and Kerala have agreed to intensify their joint fight against drug trafficking by strengthening border surveillance, sharing intelligence, and coordinating police operations. The agreement was reached during a high-level meeting in Chennai on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, between Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay and Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala.

Chennithala, speaking to reporters after the meeting, said Chief Minister Vijay assured him of Tamil Nadu’s full cooperation. The coordinated effort will involve maintaining strict surveillance along the shared state border, institutionalizing real-time intelligence sharing, and launching joint public awareness campaigns against substance abuse. Chennithala emphasized that state-level efforts must expand into cross-border operations to dismantle smuggling networks that operate across jurisdictions.

The Kerala minister highlighted the success of his state’s ongoing anti-narcotics offensive, “Operation Toofan - The Narco Hunt,” which was launched in June 2026. He reported that the crackdown has led to the arrest of over 6,000 individuals, the registration of approximately 5,500 cases, and the...