Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has constituted an Anti-Narcotics Investigation Team to strengthen the ongoing Operation Toofan and target major drug trafficking networks.

Three units, based in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Kozhikode, will investigate high value narcotics cases involving interstate and international links. Operation Toofan nodal officer and North Range IG Putta Vimaladitya has been appointed head of the new team.

“The team starts functioning today. It will handle and oversee high value narcotics cases and help identify the kingpins of drug trafficking, major gang members and sources of narcotics,” Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said on Friday.

Each unit will comprise a DySP, two Circle Inspectors, two Sub-Inspectors and a 10-member team of CPOs, ACPOs and ASIs, the minister said, adding that the arrests and investigations under Operation Toofan had highlighted the need to strengthen the state's anti-narcotics wing.

According to the minister, 10,918 cases were registered and 11,776 people arrested under the drive so far. The seizures include 23.95 kg of MDMA, 1,457 kg of ganja, 5.32 gm of hashish oil, 707 gm of brown sugar, 530 gm of heroin, 27.6 gm of cocaine and 2,398 ganja plants.

Chennithala defends Reporter TV raid
On the recent searches at the Reporter Broadcasting Company's (RBC) office in Kochi, Chennithala said the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case had full authority to conduct the investigation and that he or the government would not interfere in its proceedings.

The SIT was investigating financial irregularities linked to an initiative to bring Lionel Messi and the Argentina national football team to Kerala. It conducted coordinated searches at five locations on Wednesday after registering an FIR and obtaining search warrants.

Chennithala said he had enquired with the SIT after allegations that the searches had affected journalistic freedom. According to him, the team reported that the searches were conducted legally, were videographed and did not target journalists or attempt to defame the media organisation.

He also rejected allegations that the searches disrupted Reporter TV's live broadcast, saying there was no interruption to its livestream. “I assure you that press freedom will be protected here in Kerala,” Chennithala said, adding that he would examine any police lapses if found.

The minister said the investigation was related to alleged cheating and financial irregularities, rather than the channel's journalistic activities. “It will be a destruction of press freedom if a probe is conducted against a media house for telecasting a news,” he said, while maintaining that the present investigation was not of that nature.