Kalpetta: The shady jungle routes along the forest regions bordering Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and the canopies on the banks of the River Kabani, are no longer safe havens for drug traffickers. The Wayanad police have successfully used drones to monitor these areas and track drug routes, leading to a crackdown on regular traffickers.

Drone surveillance has been introduced in selected police station limits in border zones. Within three days of deploying drones at the Pulpally police station, two cases were registered and two suspects arrested.

The isolated islets around the Kuruva Islands tourism zone, interior jungle hamlets, and the banks of the River Kabani have long been known as drug hubs. Traffickers smuggle drugs from rural Karnataka and exchange them for cash in dark zones on the riverbank on the Karnataka side, using country boats to transport the contraband. Smugglers and peddlers cross the river disguised as daily labourers and disappear on bikes once they reach the Kerala side.

Inspector Sajan PV of Pulpally police station confirmed that drone surveillance will now be a regular practice. “We are monitoring notorious drug hotspots along the River Kabani and interior hamlets like Chekadi, Perikkalloor, and Kolavalli,” he said. “While only two arrests have been made so far, more are expected.”

According to the police, tracking offenders has become easier with drone visuals. “We can monitor suspicious activity from the police station without being noticed, giving us the upper hand,” Sajan added.

Drones are also being used to monitor schools, colleges, known smuggling joints, and villages along the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu borders. The suspects arrested with the help of drones include Saifu Rahman (29) from Chemmankode, Malappuram; Jamsheer (28) from Ambalavayal; Karthik (18) from Perikkalloor; Mahesh (21) from Payikkamoola, Nadavayal; and Unni (19).

With Wayanad’s proximity to Bengaluru, a major drug trafficking hub in South India, the region has seen frequent drug hauls. In a bid to curb the menace at its source, Wayanad police recently arrested five persons, including a Nigerian and a Tanzanian, from Bengaluru.

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