The Trichy district police have reported a dramatic escalation in enforcement actions against narcotics and banned tobacco products in the year 2025. Compared to the previous year, the district witnessed a significant surge in cases related to the possession and sale of ganja (marijuana) and illegal tobacco items, culminating in 1,703 cases registered and 1,840 individuals arrested.
Intensified Drives Yield Sharp Rise in Narcotics Busts
Following the formation of special teams and targeted campaigns across all 31 law and order police stations in the district, the crackdown on ganja saw remarkable results. In 2025, authorities booked 266 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, leading to the arrest of 347 people. This represents a staggering 140% increase from the 190 cases and 200 arrests recorded in 2024.
The quantity of contraband seized also saw a massive jump. Police recovered 268.3 kilograms of ganja leaves in 2025, which is three times the amount confiscated during the preceding year.
Illegal Tobacco Trade Faces Unprecedented Crackdown
The enforcement against prohibited tobacco products was even more pronounced. Actions under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) skyrocketed, with 1,437 cases booked and 1,493 arrests made in 2025. The majority of those apprehended were grocery shopkeepers and pan shop traders. This figure marks an astonishing 242% rise from the 594 cases and approximately 600 arrests in 2024.
Authorities successfully confiscated around 6,639 kilograms of banned chewable tobacco, snus, and snuff. Similar to the ganja haul, this seizure was three times larger than what was achieved in the previous year.
Stringent Measures and Future Deterrence
All the seized contraband was subsequently incinerated and destroyed at a facility near Thanjavur. Highlighting the seriousness of the crackdown, Trichy Superintendent of Police S Selvanagarathinam issued a stern warning. He stated that firm action, including the possibility of booking offenders under the stringent Goondas Act (Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act), would be taken against smugglers and suppliers.
"Around 30 individuals were already detained under the Goondas Act in 2025 for their involvement in smuggling and possessing ganja and banned tobacco products," the SP revealed. These preventive measures, implemented on the district collector's orders and the SP's recommendations, aim to protect ongoing investigations and act as a strong deterrent against future offences.
The data clearly indicates that police efforts to dismantle smuggling networks and target local suppliers have been substantially strengthened since the previous year, leading to the sharp uptick in registered cases and arrests.
