Over 3,000 drug cases registered in Kochi city limits in 2025

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 Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in 2025, while the number of arrests recorded in 2024 stood at 2,793, according to data from the police.

The rise in numbers reasserts the growing concern over drug use in the city, though increased police surveillance is cited as a reason for the figures going up.

The city police seized 383.35 kg of suspected ganja as against 333.51 kg in 2024. The volume of suspected MDMA seized almost doubled in 2025 to 3.08 kg from 1.89 in 2024. At least 20 kg of suspected ganja was seized in December alone from within the city police limits in separate incidents.

Of the cases booked under the NDPS Act in 2025, as many as 2,034 pertain to seizure of small quantities. Only 55 cases were registered over the seizure of commercial quantity, while 127 were booked over intermediate quantity. The volume in each category varied as per the nature of the narcotic item.

A total of 782 cases were registered over alleged consumption of narcotic substances.

Other major contraband seized in 2025 include hashish oil (289.58 gm), hashish (20.64 gm), cocaine (8.34 gm), LSD stamps (26), LSD sugar cubes (18.45 gm), methamphetamine (424.64 gm) and ecstasy pills (41.84 gm).

Notably, the amount of ganja candy, which peddlers often use to woo students, seized in 2025 came down to 178.8 gm from 418 gm. The city police also seized 346 nitrazepam tablets and 65 ampoules of lorazepam. In 2025, one case was registered for allegedly forging a medical prescription to buy narcotic drugs.

In most cases, the seizures and arrests were made in joint operations involving the District Anti-Narcotic Special Action Force (DANSAF) and teams from respective police stations.