Thiruvananthapuram: With Onam festivities expected to draw large numbers of tourists, police have intensified checks on tourist buses at the Kadambattukonam border under ‘Operation Toofan’, focusing on drug use and trafficking.District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force (Dansaf), the police dog squad and excise officials were deployed for vehicle inspections from early Saturday. Police said checks on tourist buses and other vehicles would be intensified during the festival season to ensure a safe and drug-free Onam.The operation began around 3am and continued until 11am, with personnel from Kallambalam police station and other local units joining the Dansaf team and dog squad. Tourist buses, cars and taxis passing through the border were inspected, with particular attention to possible concealment of narcotics in vehicles or luggage and their possession by passengers.The drive is part of a wider enforcement campaign by Thiruvananthapuram rural police ahead of Onam. Police have arrested more than 100 people for possession of illegal drugs as part of intensified action against narcotics in the district.According to police, traffickers have increasingly been using border areas of the district to transport narcotics brought in from other states. The location makes the border a key transit route, prompting enforcement agencies to strengthen surveillance and vehicle inspections.Tourist buses are being given particular attention as large numbers of people are expected to travel during the Onam holidays. Police officials said checks would continue at the border and other strategic locations to prevent the movement of narcotics and identify those involved in trafficking.The operation involves coordination between local police, Dsansaf, the dog squad and excise personnel. Sniffer dogs are being used to detect drugs concealed in luggage and vehicles.Police said enforcement would be intensified in the coming days, with more vehicle checks and surveillance planned at key entry points. The objective is to prevent narcotics from entering the district during the festive season and ensure safe Onam celebrations. .
