Andhra Pradesh has launched the ‘Break the Silence’ campaign to strengthen public participation in the fight against ganja and drug abuse. Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha launched the campaign on Friday at the headquarters of the Elite Anti-Narcotics Group for Law Enforcement, or EAGLE.
The campaign encourages parents, young people and citizens to report information about drug abuse without fear. Authorities have also promised to protect the identity of informants.
The initiative forms part of Andhra Pradesh’s wider plan to curb drug cultivation, trafficking and consumption. The government also plans to expand counselling, de-addiction and rehabilitation services for children affected by drug abuse.
Campaign Seeks Greater Public Participation
The Break the Silence campaign aims to bring citizens into the state’s anti-drug efforts. Officials want parents and members of the public to share information about drug-related activities.
Home Minister Anitha said informants would receive confidentiality. She also said authorities would provide counselling and rehabilitation support to children affected by drug abuse.
The campaign uses the 1972 Drugs Helpline to encourage people to provide information. Officials hope the helpline will make it easier for citizens to approach authorities.
The government has also called for the campaign to develop into a broader public movement against drug abuse.
Andhra Shifts Focus From Cultivation to Supply Networks
Anitha said Andhra Pradesh has made progress in reducing cannabis cultivation over the past 21 months.
The government will now focus more strongly on drug transportation and supply networks. Officials have been asked to improve investigations and strengthen evidence collection.
The move aims to improve prosecution in cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.
According to the Home Minister, authorities have registered more than 3,000 NDPS cases. Courts have also awarded stringent sentences in 17 cases since January 2026.
Assets Worth Rs 10.18 Crore Seized or Frozen
EAGLE has also expanded financial investigations into drug-related cases.
Officials said assets and funds worth around Rs 10.18 crore have been seized or frozen across 17 NDPS cases.
The approach focuses on more than simply recovering drugs during raids. Authorities are also examining financial links and wider networks connected to trafficking.
EAGLE has said it wants investigations to identify the networks behind drug distribution. This includes tracking financial flows and other forms of organised activity.
EAGLE Expands Anti-Drug Operations
The EAGLE unit has adopted a strategy based on five areas: Prevent, Detect, Enforce, Rehabilitate and Partner.
The agency operates several programmes to monitor drug hotspots and vulnerable locations. These include Vajra Prahar, Safe Campus Zone, Eagle on Trains and Garuda.
Officials use drones, geographic information systems, hotspot mapping and satellite inputs as part of their surveillance efforts. K9 squads also support operations.
EAGLE also coordinates with neighbouring states to monitor trafficking routes and strengthen enforcement.
More Than 40,000 EAGLE Clubs Created
The anti-drug campaign has also focused heavily on students and educational institutions.
EAGLE Chief Ake Ravi Krishna said more than 40,000 EAGLE clubs had been created. More than 74,000 awareness programmes have also reached over 20 lakh students, according to the agency.
The campaign aims to increase awareness among young people. Officials have highlighted the risks linked to cannabis, synthetic drugs and other narcotic substances.
EAGLE has also discussed plans to expand drug-free initiatives around schools and colleges. Its proposed ‘Nasha Mukt Vidyalaya’ programme would focus on maintaining drug-free zones around educational institutions.
Alternative Livelihoods for Former Ganja Farmers
The state government has combined enforcement with alternative livelihood programmes in areas where farmers previously cultivated cannabis.
Under Operation Chaitanya, authorities provided alternative crops and livelihood opportunities to 29,978 farmers during 2025-26. The programme covered around 29,839 acres.
Officials worked with police, revenue, agriculture and horticulture departments to reduce cannabis cultivation.
Farmers in affected areas have received support to move towards alternative crops. Authorities have promoted horticultural crops such as avocado and rambutan as alternatives to cannabis cultivation.
Focus on Synthetic Drugs
EAGLE is also preparing for emerging challenges linked to synthetic drugs.
Under EAGLE 2.0, the agency plans to focus on synthetic narcotics, prosecution, demand reduction and research.
Officials have warned that drug trafficking can connect with other forms of organised crime. These can include money laundering, illicit financial networks and cyber-enabled activities.
The agency plans to use technology and intelligence-led investigations to identify such networks.
Schools and Youth at the Centre of Awareness Efforts
Educational institutions remain an important part of Andhra Pradesh’s anti-drug strategy.
EAGLE officials have called for greater participation from students, teachers and parents. Awareness programmes aim to help young people understand the risks associated with drug use.
The agency has also promoted initiatives that monitor areas around educational institutions. Officials want schools and colleges to become important partners in preventing drug distribution and consumption.
The Break the Silence campaign adds a public reporting component to these efforts. It seeks to encourage families to seek help instead of remaining silent about drug-related problems.
Rehabilitation Remains Part of the Strategy
The campaign does not focus only on enforcement. Authorities have also highlighted counselling, de-addiction and rehabilitation.
Anitha said children affected by drug abuse would receive support while maintaining confidentiality around their cases.
This approach places rehabilitation alongside prevention and enforcement. Officials say public participation will remain important to identifying drug abuse early and connecting affected individuals with support services.
Andhra Pradesh Targets Wider Drug-Free Campaign
The launch of Break the Silence marks another phase in Andhra Pradesh’s anti-drug campaign.
The state plans to continue reducing cannabis cultivation while targeting transportation and supply networks. EAGLE will also expand its focus on synthetic drugs and financial investigations.
At the same time, authorities want parents, students and communities to participate more actively.
By combining public reporting, enforcement, alternative livelihoods and rehabilitation, the state aims to strengthen its response to drug abuse. The confidentiality promised to informants is a key part of the new campaign, as authorities seek more information from the public while expanding support for people affected by addiction.