Drug threat: Kerala Police to hold closed-door talks with Malayalam film industry stakeholders

Kerala Police address drug abuse in film industry, conducting surprise checks and summoning celebrities for illegal drug seizure.

The Kerala Police will convene a meeting of film producers, actors and distributors in Kochi on Saturday (April 26, 2025) to address the allegedly pervasive use of narcotic drugs in the entertainment industry. 

Manoj Abraham, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Law and Order, told The Hindu that synthetic drug abuse plagued numerous celebrities and also lesser-known artistes and technicians hailing from the younger demographic.

Moreover, he noted that heightened narcotic risk has beset the industry. Mr Abraham also flagged the social peril of glamorising drug abuse.

Officials said internal complaint committees (ICC) were mandatory on film sets. They noted that the belated revelations by two women artistes about the alleged harassment and trauma they faced from an allegedly drug-impaired co-star underscored the need for such committees to work in close liaison with the law enforcement.

Meanwhile, the police have tasked District Anti-Narcotic Special Action Force (DANSAF) units to covertly collect actionable intelligence on trafficking networks profiting from supplying narcotics to personalities in the film industry.

They have authorised DANSAF plainclothes squads, including women, to conduct surprise checks in caravans, film sets, and hotels, hosting actors and technicians and green rooms for narcotics. The police would also deploy the latest narcotic field test kits to detect drug impairment.

The police will also check the background of staff serving film sets, including caterers, production assistants, chauffeurs and bouncers.