Kerala Police uncovered a concealed underground chamber beneath the bedroom floor of a house in Wayanad during a major anti-narcotics raid conducted under the state-wide Operation Toofan, leading to the seizure of 6,400 packets of banned Hans tobacco products and the arrest of one person, as reported in Organiser.
The raid was carried out at a house in Dottappakkulam in Sultan Bathery based on specific intelligence inputs. During the search, police discovered a secret underground chamber hidden beneath a cupboard inside a bedroom. The concealed bunker had reportedly been specially constructed to hide contraband from law enforcement agencies.
Police seized 6,400 packets of Hans packed in ten gunny bags from the underground chamber. Haris, a native of Binachi, was arrested in connection with the case. Investigators are now questioning him to determine the source of the contraband and identify the wider distribution network behind the operation.
The search formed part of Operation Toofan, Kerala Police’s state-wide anti-narcotics drive launched in May 2026 to crack down on drug users, peddlers, suppliers and organised trafficking networks operating across the state.
The discovery of the underground chamber attracted widespread attention as it seemed to resemble a “Hamas-like” bunker and the presence of a “Masha Allah” sticker above the entrance to the house added to the scrutiny. Kerala Police subsequently clarified that the underground structure was merely a concealed storage chamber built by drug traffickers to evade detection and had no connection whatsoever with Hamas, any other terrorist organisation or foreign military-style tunnel systems.
According to police, underground bunkers of this nature are occasionally constructed by organised drug syndicates to conceal prohibited substances during enforcement raids.
The case has also drawn attention to the growing drug menace in Kerala. Officials said Operation Toofan was launched in response to increasing narcotics trafficking across the state and has targeted every level of the drug trade, from users and street-level peddlers to suppliers and organised trafficking networks.
The Wayanad seizure adds to a series of major narcotics recoveries reported in Kerala in recent years. In August 2023, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence seized 3.5 kg of ganja and 1.75 kg of heroin valued at approximately ₹44 crore. Enforcement agencies have also recovered large quantities of MDMA and other narcotic substances from different parts of the state in recent months.
Security agencies have repeatedly identified India’s western coastline, including the Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep and the Kerala coast, as vulnerable maritime corridors used by international trafficking syndicates to transport narcotics before consignments are moved inland. Officials attribute this vulnerability to Kerala’s extensive coastline, busy fishing harbours, active maritime traffic and proximity to major international shipping routes.
Police said the investigation into the Wayanad seizure is continuing and that further arrests may follow as officers trace the alleged drug trafficking network connected to the concealed underground chamber.
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