Police step up vigil on migrant workers' lodgings amid drug trafficking concerns

The Hindu

27-04-2025

The Anti-Narcotics Squad and the local police have intensified surveillance of rented houses and lodges occupied by migrant workers across various parts of Kozhikode district, as part of ongoing efforts to curb substance abuse and inter-State drug trafficking. The police sources said that the growing involvement of migrant workers in drug-related cases is the primary reason for placing their accommodations under the scanner.
Instructions have also been issued to local administrators and residents' associations to monitor suspected locations where large groups of migrant workers reside. Police patrols have been stepped up in several shortlisted areas where migrant workers, including women, were recently caught encouraging drug parties, officials said.
Sources with the District Anti-Narcotics Action Force (DANSAF) said that many migrant workers were suspected of acting as agents for inter-State drug cartels, often operating in the illegal trade as a part-time activity. 'We have been conducting flash inspections at various suspected locations to seize smuggled narcotics and apprehend the agents bringing them from other States,' they added.
A senior officer with the Anti-Narcotics Squad urged property owners to thoroughly verify the identities of migrant workers before leasing out their premises to avoid future complications. 'There have been several incidents where migrant workers with criminal backgrounds have misused rented properties as hideouts or storage spaces for drug trafficking,' the officer said. He added that properties should be leased out only after executing a proper rental agreement through legal channels.
As part of heightened vigilance, police have also begun monitoring the migrant workers' registry maintained by the Labour department and local administrators. The details of most workers are now accessible through the recently introduced online registration system. Additionally, police have obtained a list of suspected migrant workers who reportedly fled from other States after committing various offences.
A sub-inspector with DANSAF said the Government Railway Police and the Railway Protection Force were also involved in intensified checking activities across the State. Migrant workers' movements are now being closely monitored at major railway stations, bus stands, tourist destinations, and other public spaces to prevent the smuggling of illegal consignments, he added.