Chennai, Aug 31 (IANS): At least 30 students were detained on Saturday after Tamil Nadu Police launched a crackdown against the drug menace in Potheri and Kattankulathur in Chengalpattu district.

Acting on a tip-off, around 500 police officials swooped down on men's and women's hostels and conducted searches in all the rooms.

According to sources in Chengalpattu police, the Saturday morning action was following intelligence tip offs that both boys and girls of colleges in and around Potheri and Kattankulathur in Chengalpattu district of Tamil Nadu were involved in drug usage.

Political parties in Tamil Nadu, including DMK ally, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), had called upon the state Home Department to put an end to the menace of drugs that was plaguing the youth of the state.

Chief Minister MK Stalin has vowed to crush the drug menace in the state and said the prevalence of narcotic substances is not just a law and order issue but also a social issue and a massive movement will be launched to eliminate it in Tamil Nadu.

The DMK was on the backfoot when its NRI cell office bearer, Jaffer Siddik was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in a case related to the smuggling of drugs to Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia.

The NCB alleged that Siddik had trafficked drugs through air and sea cargo by concealing them in food products like health mix powder and dry coconuts.

Following his arrest and subsequent judicial custody, DMK expelled him from the party on February 25.

The opposition, including the AIADMK and BJP, have charged the DMK that it had supported the drug dealer.

There have been several instances of drugs being pushed into Tamil Nadu with the connivance and support of the former leaders and cadres of the banned Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).