In one of the biggest crackdowns on drug trafficking, Rajeev Kumar was nabbed when he was transporting illicit goods to be sold in Malappuram and Kozhikode, both located in the Malabar region. Recently, there have been significant instances of drug seizures in different parts of the state. These incidents appear to be closely connected to the activities of religious fundamentalists.
With the Modi administration implementing stringent measures to counter illegal financial flows into the country, terrorists have turned to drug trafficking as a means to generate funds for their operations. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) and other central agencies have been actively pursuing legal action against the covert operations of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) and its political counterpart, the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI).
Financial resources have become a major concern for these groups, leading them to embrace drug trafficking as a quick and accessible source of income. These individuals often adopt the strategy of recruiting the youth, exemplifying the notion of ‘catching them young.’ As a result, even school-age children are falling prey to the malicious schemes of drug traffickers, effectively jeopardizing the potential of future generations.
In the month of May, a collaborative operation involving the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Indian Navy resulted in the interception of the largest drug consignment ever seized within Indian waters of the Indian Ocean. Valued at Rs 12,000 crore and weighing 2,500 kilograms, this consignment was identified as methamphetamine and was confiscated from a vessel off the coast of Kerala.
A Pakistani national was apprehended in connection to this incident, and the authorities are actively working to identify the consignees. Notably, this haul is believed to be the largest methamphetamine seizure in the country’s history. The consignment was being transported aboard a mother ship with the intent of distribution among smaller feeder vessels. Intelligence agencies have identified the “Death Crescent” region, comprising Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran, as the source of this illicit substance.
In October 2022, the Mumbai unit of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized a shipment containing 198 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and 9 kilograms of high-purity cocaine. The total estimated value of these drugs was Rs 1,476 crore. The contraband had been concealed within a shipment of fruits. Reports indicated that the senders were located in South Africa, while there were indications of links to Kerala on the receiving end.
Kerala’s associations with illegal trafficking are not uncommon. This can be understood against the backdrop of the prevalent perception that Kerala harbors religious fundamentalists and other elements with anti-national agendas. These groups find a welcoming environment in Kerala due to the strategic manipulation of minority vote bank politics.
Both the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM), and the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF), led by the Indian National Congress, are seemingly engaged in a competition to appease religious fundamentalists. In a recent instance, the Kerala Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a resolution against the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC), which was seen as a calculated move to garner Muslim votes. Opportunistic fundamentalists have adeptly taken advantage of this situation.
