PANJIM: Hardly six percent of the persons arrested in drugs cases are convicted in court. Information availed by this paper reveals that since 2014 till June this year, out of the 214 cases registered by various agencies across Goa, like the Goa Police Crime Branch, the local police stations and the Anti Narcotics Cell, only 13 have been convicted so far. Since 2015, the ANC has conducted 66 raids followed by Calangute (18) and Anjuna (15).
Data further reveals that in 2014, Goa Police registered 54 cases out of which four cases have been convicted. In 2015, 61 cases were registered and five have been convicted, while in 2016 there were 60 cases registered but only 3 convicted so far. In 2017 till June, 39 cases have been registered and only one case has been convicted.
Of the 13 convicted cases, six are by Anti Narcotics Cell, three from Margao police station and Anjuna, Pernem, Ponda and Calangute account for one each.
Information also reveals that many of the cases are pending trial in the NDPS courts. Sources in the police department, who did not want to come on record, suggest that in many cases there are acquittals as witnesses turn hostile.
Interestingly, data also reveals that the drugs business is not only limited to the coastal areas but has now hit the interiors with Ponda recording 9 cases in last three years. Margao, in South Goa, has recorded eight cases till June this year.
What is more interesting is that the hub of rave parties, the Pernem police station, which has areas of Morjim, Mandrem, Ashwem and Keri under it, has registered just seven cases in the last three years.
In 2015 there were four cases registered in Pernem but in 2016 and 2017 recorded just 2 and one case respectively.
Pernem police figures sound interesting considering the recent incident where a NCB officer has to shoot in the air to disperse a crowd from attacking the raiding team.
