The Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Government Railway Police (GRP) are planning to increase the frequency of their flash inspections on long-distance trains as part of the intensified action plan of the State government against drug trafficking. Efforts are underway to ensure the support of various local checking squads in five southern States under a newly formed centre of coordination.
“With the heightened road checking and intensified surveillance at district borders, chances are high for a spike in the number of smuggling attempts misusing the railway network. Preparations are underway to address this flawlessly,” said a senior RPF officer. He said there would be effective coordination between the checking squads in various southern States.
GRP sources said instructions would be circulated to all their regional units to keep an eye on parcel movements and carry out flash inspections at parcel collection centres in case of any suspicion. More plainclothes officers would be posted near railway stations to monitor suspected passengers and migrant workers, they said.
There have been several incidents in the past where unknown persons misused the railway parcel booking service to secretly send banned items. The lack of advanced baggage screening systems has made it difficult for the railways to counter such attempts. Since senders deliberately provided incorrect addresses at booking counters, the police struggled to track the source of such consignments.
“As per the latest instructions, the checking squads will ensure that there are no abandoned bags or parcels in long-distance trains. Sending drug parcels in an abandoned state under seats has been a long-followed tactic of smugglers,” said a GRP officer from Kozhikode. He added that passengers would also be encouraged to report suspicious baggage using railway helplines.
RPF sources said a pan-India checking drive, similar to the one conducted three years ago by the RPF under the name ‘NARCO,’ is also under consideration by various national-level agencies involved in the fight against drug trafficking. The NARCO drive conducted in June 2022 led to the seizure of narcotics worth ₹7.40 crore, along with the arrest of 165 persons, they pointed out.
Published - March 16, 2025 07:03 pm IST
