Kerala logs record NDPS Act cases in 2025; student involvement a key concern

Kerala recorded 8,622 NDPS Act cases till August 2025, the highest ever, surpassing previous years. Excise officials cite both rising drug inflow and tighter enforcement. Alarmingly, over 300 students have been arrested this year, with seizures reported from schools and colleges.

Kochi: The number of narcotic cases registered by the excise department in Kerala has touched a new high this year, surpassing the figures recorded in 2024.

As per the excise department’s data, 8,622 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act were registered till August this year. In comparison, the department registered 8,160 cases in 2024 and 8,104 in 2023.

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The surge in cases has also been reflected in the number of arrests made by Excise in drug cases.

As of August this year, 8,505 persons have been arrested in drug-related offences, compared to 7,946 in 2024 and 8,060 in 2023.

A senior Excise official attributed the rise to both increasing drug inflow into Kerala and intensified enforcement. “The higher number of NDPS cases indicates more people are abusing drugs. At the same time, our enhanced operations have led to more detections and arrests,” the officer said.

Apart from the excise department, the Police are also registering a high number of NDPS Act cases in the state this year.

As per the data with the police, 25,262 narcotic cases have been registered in the state till July this year. The number of NDPS Act cases registered by police in 2024 and 2023 was 27,530 and 30,697, respectively.

What worries enforcement agencies most is the growing number of students caught in narcotics cases. Till August this year, 312 students, including minors, were arrested by the excise department in the state. The figure stood at 379 in 2024 and 531 in 2023.

This year, 18 drug seizure cases were reported by excise from educational institutions, of which 13 were from Ernakulam district—five in schools and eight in colleges.

“We have strengthened surveillance near educational institutions after these incidents. Our teams also coordinate with students and teachers to curb drug abuse on campuses. Ahead of the academic year, we visited schools and colleges to identify vulnerable spots,” the officer added.