Sri Vijaya Puram, June 16: In a coordinated operation on Sunday, the Anti-Narcotics Police Station of Andaman and Nicobar Islands apprehended a suspected drug courier near Veer Savarkar International Airport and seized nearly 6 kilograms of ganja concealed in a travel bag.
The seizure—5.965 kg in total—was made with assistance from the Dog Squad Team during a routine surveillance exercise. Officials confirmed that the accused has been booked under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
The arrest marks the latest success under the Andaman Police’s ongoing #WarOnDrugs campaign, which has been stepped up in response to growing concerns about the islands being used as a narcotics transit point. The method employed in this case—carrying cannabis in personal luggage—is consistent with trafficking patterns highlighted in a recent investigation by The Wave Andaman, which documented how drugs are being smuggled via air passengers and courier consignments.
Authorities believe this incident is part of a broader shift in trafficking strategies involving coordination between mainland suppliers, island-based peddlers, and international syndicates. Networks are reportedly using air, sea, and courier routes to move narcotics through the archipelago.
A previous report by The Wave Andaman detailed how trawlers were being used to drop drug parcels into open waters, while drug-laced packages have also been arriving through couriers and washing up on remote beaches.
“We’re catching the carriers, not the coordinators,” said an officer involved in recent drug enforcement actions. Another official warned that traffickers are increasingly using the ocean as a “temporary storage space” due to the existence of well-connected retrieval networks within the islands.
With concerns mounting over student exposure and rising community addiction, law enforcement has urged residents to stay vigilant and report suspicious activities.
To share tips, call 112 or 9531856080.
🔗 Read more: From Fishing Nets to Meth Packs – The Drug Routes Running Through Andaman
