Excise Minister says anti‑drug drive registers over 10,000 cases under Operation Thunder

Excise Minister M. Liju said Operation Thunder, the enforcement arm of the ‘Mayangilla Keralam’ anti‑drug drive, has logged more than 10,000 cases since the United Democratic Front government took office. Of those, over 4,000 cases fall under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, more than 5,000 involve illegal sale of tobacco near schools, and the remainder are filed under the state’s Abkari laws. The campaign is built on four pillars – enforcement, awareness, de‑addiction and rehabilitation – that the minister outlined during the Assembly’s Question Hour. For awareness, the department has declared 27 college campuses as drug‑free and runs programmes linked to the state’s Vimukthi campaign, featuring sports and political personalities. De‑addiction services operate in 14 district‑level centres, and the department plans to appoint psychiatrists at each and extend facilities to all 78 taluks. On rehabilitation, the department is working with social organisations to set up new centres across the state. He also noted plans to partner with NGOs for additional rehabilitation capacity. ## Context The term ‘Mayangilla Keralam’ translates to “Kerala will not be intoxicated”, signalling a state‑wide pledge to curb substance misuse. Anti‑drug drives in India typically combine strict law enforcement with community‑level education and treatment to reduce both supply and demand.