A special enforcement drive carried out by 52 joint teams, comprising officials from the Police and Food Safety departments and local bodies in areas surrounding schools and colleges across Coimbatore district on Saturday resulted in the seizure of 19.5 kg of ganja, 8.05 kg of tobacco products and 11 vehicles. The teams also registered seven cases and sealed seven petty shops during the operation.The drive was conducted on the directions of the Coimbatore District Collector as part of efforts to prevent drug abuse among students and youth and curb the sale and use of narcotic substances.The teams inspected petty shops located near educational institutions, rented accommodations occupied by college students and other suspected locations across the district.According to the district administration, three cases registered under the Karumathampatti subdivision resulted in the seizure of 11.5 kg of ganja, while three cases under the Perur subdivision led to the seizure of 3 kg. The Prohibition Enforcement Wing (PEW-Periyanaickenpalayam) registered a case in which 5 kg of ganja was seized. A total of 8.05 kg of tobacco products was also seized during the drive.Officials said the district administration, police and other departments would continue coordinated enforcement and surveillance to curb offences relating to narcotic drugs. They appealed to the public, educational institutions, parents and students to cooperate with anti-drug initiatives and report information relating to the sale or use of narcotic substances to the police or the district administration. Published - July 04, 2026 08:48 pm IST