The city of Trichy is facing a significant escalation in drug trafficking, with confiscations of ganja via interstate trains nearly tripling in 2025 compared to the previous year. This sharp increase in both the quantity seized and the number of incidents underscores a mounting challenge for law enforcement agencies in the region.
Railway Routes Under Scrutiny
According to officials from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Narcotics Intelligence Bureau (NIB) of Tamil Nadu police, traffickers have heavily exploited major train routes. In 2024, the Trichy railway junction witnessed seven seizures, leading to the confiscation of 29.8 kg of ganja valued at approximately Rs 5.3 lakh.
However, the situation intensified dramatically by December of that year, with the RPF seizing a total of 86.5 kg across 11 incidents. The value of the intercepted contraband skyrocketed to an estimated Rs 35 lakh. Trains like the Howrah-Trichy (12663) and Howrah-Kanyakumari (12665) were identified as the most commonly used conduits for smuggling last year.
Shift to Roads and Local Trains
In response, authorities deployed platform duty staff and dedicated surveillance teams to scrutinize interstate trains more intensively. This heightened vigilance proved effective, thwarting eight smuggling attempts in 2025 alone, including three on the Chennai-Guruvayur (16127) and one on the Purulia-Tirunelveli (22605) services.
Faced with tighter security on interstate networks, smugglers have adapted their strategies. Officials report a clear shift towards using roads, including remote routes, to transport drugs into Trichy for local distribution. Additionally, traffickers are now opting for intra-state train routes such as the Chennai Egmore-Trichy (22675) service. The Guruvayur Express is also being utilized to move ganja into the neighboring state of Kerala.
This tactical change has led to a decline in arrests, as smugglers increasingly abandon their contraband and flee upon encountering RPF patrols.
Enhanced Counter-Measures and Smuggler Tactics
Law enforcement is ramping up its efforts to combat the evolving threat. A railway source indicated that apart from Trichy junction, Villupuram and Puducherry junctions are also considered vulnerable points. Confidential surveillance and informant networks have been intensified across these locations. There are also plans to procure a sniffer dog specifically trained to detect narcotics concealed in passenger baggage.
Police revealed that the ganja primarily originates from Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. Smugglers have become more sophisticated, often avoiding mobile phones or using disposable SIM cards to evade detection. The quantity carried per courier has also dropped significantly, from loads of around 100 kg to roughly 15 kg, likely to minimize losses during interdiction.
An NIB official stated, "Since roads are increasingly used, we are strengthening informant networks to monitor remote routes while police continue to cover major national highways." Smugglers are now frequently disembarking at stations like Chennai Central, Katpadi, and Vellore, completing the final leg of their journey to Trichy via buses or autorickshaws.
The concerted efforts by RPF and NIB highlight a critical cat-and-mouse game between authorities and drug peddlers in Tamil Nadu, with Trichy at the epicenter of this escalating conflict.
