Panaji: The seizure of 114 kg of drugs worth over Rs 3 crore during the first eight months of 2022 has raised eyebrows over the thriving drug trade in the tiny tourism-reliant state, even as the police has reiterated its zero-tolerance policy. A total of 135 kg of drugs were seized in 2021.
The seized drugs include ganja, charas, LSD, MDMA, ecstasy tablets and powder, cocaine, hash oil, heroin and cannabis, with ganja accounting for more than 91 kg of the total haulage.
Police said most of the people arrested during the drug raids were non-Goans and most of the narcotics seized were natural like ganja and charas. Police said the synthetic drugs are imported by foreigners and are mostly used during parties.
A senior official said that after the resumption of tourism activities after the pandemic, drugs have also started coming into the state and peddlers are being closely monitored in an effort to stop the trade.
Goa Police has also directed its officers to maintain zero tolerance towards drugs and on an average more than three drug raids are being conducted every week in the state.
Recently, Goa Police held an inter-state intelligence coordination meeting on narcotics and other organized crimes, discussed the challenges faced and decided to share information about those involved in the trade.
Nearly a decade after an alleged nexus between police, politicians and the drug ‘mafia’ shook the state, a British peddler was arrested on drug possession charges, alleging he gave police “security money”. “Payed. Britain’s 76-year-old Stephen Slotwinner was arrested last month for possession of drugs worth Rs 1.5 million. Based on their allegations – made during the interrogation – the police suspended constables Rajesh Yeshi and Appa Parab.
The drug issue, which had been simmering beneath the surface for a long time, hit the headlines last month after the Hyderabad Police alleged that their Goa counterpart did not cooperate with them in cracking down on the menace.
The seized drugs include ganja, charas, LSD, MDMA, ecstasy tablets and powder, cocaine, hash oil, heroin and cannabis, with ganja accounting for more than 91 kg of the total haulage.
Police said most of the people arrested during the drug raids were non-Goans and most of the narcotics seized were natural like ganja and charas. Police said the synthetic drugs are imported by foreigners and are mostly used during parties.
A senior official said that after the resumption of tourism activities after the pandemic, drugs have also started coming into the state and peddlers are being closely monitored in an effort to stop the trade.
Goa Police has also directed its officers to maintain zero tolerance towards drugs and on an average more than three drug raids are being conducted every week in the state.
Recently, Goa Police held an inter-state intelligence coordination meeting on narcotics and other organized crimes, discussed the challenges faced and decided to share information about those involved in the trade.
Nearly a decade after an alleged nexus between police, politicians and the drug ‘mafia’ shook the state, a British peddler was arrested on drug possession charges, alleging he gave police “security money”. “Payed. Britain’s 76-year-old Stephen Slotwinner was arrested last month for possession of drugs worth Rs 1.5 million. Based on their allegations – made during the interrogation – the police suspended constables Rajesh Yeshi and Appa Parab.
The drug issue, which had been simmering beneath the surface for a long time, hit the headlines last month after the Hyderabad Police alleged that their Goa counterpart did not cooperate with them in cracking down on the menace.