The Ernakulam Rural police have registered 3,328 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act this year till October, marking a surge in such cases compared to the 2,037 cases booked overall last year. A total of 3,521 people were arrested till October for alleged drug-related offences, while 2,217 accused were nabbed last year, according to the Rural police.The police, meanwhile, said they had seized nearly 500 kg of suspected ganja this year, with the latest incident being the arrest of four migrant labourers from Odisha with nearly 25 kg of suspected ganja from the Aluva railway station on Monday.The police said the suspected ganja was sourced from Odisha at ₹3,000 per kg and was meant to be sold in and around Aluva. The police said the arrested, Krishna Naik, 20, Raja Naik, 25, Sanjeeb Naik, 20, all natives of Surada, and Nandamalik, 35, of Kandhamal, has a history of drug peddling.The quantity of the suspected ganja seized has almost doubled this year so far from the 270 kg last year. Approximately 1 kg of suspected MDMA was seized this year, compared to 750 grams last year.The arrest of the four-member Odia gang is the latest in a series of incidents of the Rural police busting attempts to smuggle in huge quantities of suspected ganja by migrant workers.The Kalady police had earlier this year arrested five people with 60 kg of suspected ganja. In September, three from West Bengal were arrested in Kalady with 44 kg of suspected cannabis. The major drug hauls in the Rural police limits this year include seizure of 24 kg of suspected ganja by the Nedumbassery police, too.Though ganja is usually transported by train, the Rural police have reported at least three cases of smuggling cannabis in luxury cars this year.Suspected synthetic drugs seized by the police, meanwhile, include MDMA, methamphetamine, hashish oil, heroin, LSD stamps, and nitrazepam tablets.Amid widespread criticism of growing drug menace in the State, sources with the Rural police have cited the rise in the number of cases and arrests as a clear indicator of increased surveillance and preventive actions.The Rural police have also initiated an awareness and rehabilitation drive named Operation Punarjani, led by District Police Chief (Ernakulam Rural) M. Hemalatha, aiming to contain drug use and peddling among migrant population.Published - November 18, 2025 08:24 pm IST