Thiruvananthapuram: State govt has redeployed existing officers of excise department and assigned additional responsibilities for functioning of Kerala State Narcotics Control Bureau to more effectively prevent and investigate drug-related offences.Bureau has been permitted to begin functioning with 389 posts — 367 posts redeployed and 22 posts assigned additional charge — without creating any new posts.Bureau headquarters will be at excise commissionerate in Thiruvananthapuram. It will have four main wings: operations, intelligence, research and analysis, and cyber intelligence and cyber operations. Operations and intelligence units will function in each district. Order also provides for creation of a voluntary network of experts in areas such as cybersecurity, digital forensics and artificial intelligence, said a press release.Govt has directed excise commissioner to immediately complete redeployment of excise officers and take steps to begin functioning of NCB. Excise commissioner will serve as its head. Additional excise commissioner (administration), administrative officer and finance officer will also be given similar additional responsibilities in the bureau.State govt has been aggressively combating narcotics prevalence through Operation Toofan by cracking down on trafficking networks through a joint mechanism with neighbouring states.
