Entire police force must collaborate to eradicate drugs: Telangana DGP

While the national average is 1.3 arrests per case, Telangana maintains an average of 3.1 arrests per case, indicating that the Force is capturing not just suppliers but also the masterminds behind the scenes.

Hyderabad: Telangana DGP C V Anand on Thursday stressed that the entire police force should collaborate to eradicate the drug menace in the state.

The DGP, who reviewed the performance of the state’s anti-narcotics EAGLE Force (Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement) here, said Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has already issued strict orders to police officers to completely eradicate drug supply in Telangana, an official release, quoting him, said.

He said the supply and consumption of narcotics are continuing unabated, not only in Telangana but across various parts of the world.

People of Telangana must become partners in the process of curbing drugs to safeguard children’s future, Anand said.

The DGP emphasised that a drug-free state can be built if District Superintendents of Police and Commissioners of Police work in tandem with EAGLE Force.

“…merely establishing a bureau is not enough, the entire police machinery across the state must work effectively,” he said, adding he had earlier insisted on incorporating this approach into government orders.

He drew a parallel to how the Special Intelligence Branch (SIB) and Greyhounds, an elite anti-Naxal force of Telangana Police, worked as specialised agencies to make the state Maoist-free, stating that the entire police force must collaborate in the same spirit to eradicate drugs.

“Just as SIB, Greyhounds assisted in anti-Naxal operations, EAGLE Force will provide intelligence and investigative support to all districts,” he said.

The DGP further directed officials to move forward with a focus on using advanced technology, tracing financial roots (money trails), and crushing foreign syndicates.

Officials said that drug case registrations have increased significantly from 1,464 cases registered in 2023 with 3,157 arrests to 2,734 cases in 2025 and 5,703 arrests.

While the national average is 1.3 arrests per case, Telangana maintains an average of 3.1 arrests per case, indicating that the Force is capturing not just suppliers but also the masterminds behind the scenes, they said.

Investigations revealed that gangs were laundering drug money to foreign countries disguised as payments for garments and groceries. As many as 93 foreign nationals (from Nigeria, Ghana, Sudan, etc.) were deported, the release said.

The DGP ordered continuous surveillance on social media, the dark web, and cryptocurrency transactions. He emphasised using digital forensics and geo-location tracking to apprehend suspects.

The DGP observed that some educational institutions “wash their hands” of the matter when students fall prey to drugs, citing negligence in some cases.

While nearly 4,500 anti-drug committees have been formed, they are not fully achieving their objectives, he said.

A new proposal is being prepared to form comprehensive committees in schools and colleges to cover not just drugs, but also ragging, cybercrime, women’s safety, child molestation, road safety, and traffic rules, Anand said.

The primary responsibility of these committees will be to immediately report any incident to authorities, he said.

The DGP warned that if EAGLE Force or other teams detect drugs or illegal activities which the institution failed to report, action will be taken against such institutions as well. “Many hide such issues fearing a bad reputation, but it is their fundamental responsibility,” he said.

A mandatory “I Will Not Take Drugs” declaration form is being proposed for students during admission, he said.

The DGP further said he would soon visit districts to guide officials to curb drugs, cybercrime, besides traffic issues.