Ernakulam Rural police see spike in NDPS cases

The number of cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act by the Ernakulam Rural police have almost doubled in 2025 compared to the previous year.

A total of 3,908 drug-related cases were registered in 2025, compared with 2,037 in 2024. As many as 4,138 alleged offenders were arrested in 2025, up from 2,217 arrests in 2024, data released by the Ernakulam Rural police said on Wednesday (January 7, 2025).

According to data, 603 kg of suspected ganja and 1.4 kg of suspected MDMA were seized in the rural limits in 2025. The volume of suspected ganja seized more than doubled, compared with 270 kg in 2024.

Other major suspected contraband seized in 2025 included 740 grams of heroin, 2 kg of hashish oil, 200 grams of methamphetamine, and 36 nitrazepam tablets. Six suspected ganja plants were also confiscated.

The year witnessed major drug hauls, including the seizure of 96 kg of suspected ganja from three West Bengal natives at Thadiyittaparambu, 44 kg from Kalady, 37 kg from Ayyampuzha, and 25 kg from Aluva.

The police had arrested an IT student with 400 grams of suspected MDMA from Nedumbassery. In another incident, two youths were nabbed while transporting 200 grams of suspected MDMA from Karayamparambu. Banned tobacco products worth ₹3 crore were impounded from Mudickal.

Seven people were jailed in preventive custody based on the provisions of the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

Meanwhile, a total of 3,006 drug-related cases were registered by the Kochi City police in 2025, marking a spike from 2,475 such cases reported in the previous year. As many as 3,325 people were arrested under the NDPS Act in 2025, while the number of arrests recorded in 2024 stood at 2,793, according to data from the police.