Sun Nov 24 18:17:44 UTC 2024: ## Kozhikode Police Intensify Anti-Drug Crackdown, Targeting Properties of Traffickers

**Kozhikode, Kerala, November 25, 2024** – Kozhikode city police are escalating their fight against drug trafficking, initiating legal proceedings to seize the properties of seven individuals arrested in recent major drug busts. The move utilizes Section F of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, allowing for the forfeiture of assets obtained through illegal drug activities. This follows the successful seizure of properties from two previous offenders.

Five of the seven targeted individuals are from Kozhikode Town police station limits, with the remaining two from Nallalam and Pantheerankavu. Details of their assets will be gathered by the Revenue department to expedite the forfeiture process. Cases will be submitted to the Chennai-based Appellate Tribunal under the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act, with recommendations for freezing bank accounts also considered for those involved in international drug operations.

Simultaneously, the police are pursuing action against repeat offenders under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PIT-NDPS) Act. Of eight proposals submitted for one-year imprisonment under this Act, two have been approved, with a decision pending on four more.

The crackdown is further amplified by the launch of a new public awareness campaign, “No, Never,” at Kozhikode beach on Monday. The initiative, to be announced by Public Works and Tourism Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas, aims to reduce drug demand through increased public awareness. District Police Chief T. Narayanan will detail the project, which will also be attended by Deputy Inspector General of Police (Kannur Range) Rajpal Meena. Police officials emphasize that property seizure is a key strategy in dismantling drug trafficking networks.

Read More