Drug smuggling in Tamil Nadu continues to escalate, with cannabis remaining the most trafficked narcotic across the state, according to recent enforcement data. Large consignments are being brought in from Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Manipur, Karnataka, and Goa, despite multiple crackdowns by law enforcement agencies.
Between 2021 and 2025, authorities registered 45,800 prosecutions and made 68,055 arrests, seizing more than 1.09 lakh kilograms of cannabis and 2,091 kilograms of other narcotics including synthetic drugs and psychotropic substances.
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Officials note that the sustained rise in smuggling indicates the presence of organised interstate networks, particularly operating through coastal and border districts. Keezhakkarai in Ramanathapuram, due to its proximity to the Gulf of Mannar, has emerged as a vulnerable corridor for gold, ganja, and synthetic drug trafficking.
Former Minister M. Manikandan, speaking at an AIADMK event in Keezhakkarai, also raised alarm over the issue, alleging that “there is rampant smuggling of drugs, ganja, and gold through Keezhakkarai,” and that narcotic-laced products are being sold near schools, posing a serious threat to public safety.
Law enforcement agencies have intensified patrols in high-risk coastal areas and are expanding coordination with neighbouring states. However, the steady increase in both seizures and arrests suggests that Tamil Nadu remains a major hub in the regional narcotics supply chain.
(Source: Dinamalar)
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