AI-powered policing: This state plans to deploy AI to curb drug trafficking in real-time

drugs

AI is everywhere now and this sentence is now longer just on paper. And, now, an Indian state is planning to put AI to police work and catch drug dealer and fight against drug trafficking. Telangana has taken a significant step in using artificial intelligence to strengthen its fight against drug trafficking. The state’s Anti-Narcotics Bureau has implemented an AI-driven surveillance system at Bhadrachalam Bridge, a checkpoint known to be a major route for illegal drug transport.

The surveillance system, built on AccessGenie — an AI video analytics platform developed by Blue Cloud Softech — is not a typical CCTV setup. It performs live video analysis, tracks vehicle number plates, and identifies suspicious activities like loitering, repeated routes, or abnormal driving patterns.

This smart system sends real-time alerts to law enforcement officers via SMS, email, or WhatsApp, enabling them to act immediately instead of relying on delayed manual monitoring or routine spot checks.

The AI’s core advantage lies in its ability to detect anomalies and flag potential threats. It can identify mismatched or duplicate vehicle registration numbers and analyse travel patterns to understand what is typical and what might indicate foul play.

Such analysis is especially vital in remote areas like Bhadrachalam, where river crossings and limited patrol infrastructure give traffickers room to operate discreetly. By scanning everything and missing little, the system adds a crucial layer of security.

Officials familiar with the project believe this is just the start. The system is built to scale, and future updates may include facial recognition, gunshot detection, and deeper behavioural analytics to respond to a wider range of threats.

Rather than replacing human officers, the AI complements their work, offering actionable insights and reducing false leads. It reflects a growing trend in law enforcement — combining human judgment with machine intelligence.