TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Herald’s investigative report on the easy availability of narcotics along the Bardez coastal belt has led Goa police to deploy a platoon of the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) along the stretch.
Addressing the media on Monday, Inspector General of Police Sunil Garg said, “The platoon comprising 20 IRB personnel has been allotted to the ANC.”
The department conceded that the deployment is following a Herald investigation that unearthed the drug nexus rampant at this popular tourist hub, published on Herald’s December 6 edition.
In an interview with Herald, Director General of Police T N Mohan had spoken about deploying additional staff in the coastal belt. The interview had also appeared on Saturday.
The police brass had also mentioned that drug pushers were taking advantage of the present situation of Goa police where a large number of personnel are on law and order duty since November.
Herald, during a reality check at Tito’s lane, Baga, almost cracked a drug deal with an African national. He had offered to sell one gram of cocaine for Rs 5,000 which Herald’s decoy customer had brought down to Rs 3,000 after driving a hard bargain. Herald, aware that it is illegal to buy drugs, aborted the deal.
The Herald investigation also discovered that narcotics were available at open air parties at certain beach shacks at Anjuna.
