SURAJ NANDREKAR

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UMTAVADDO, CALANGUTE:  In a house by the beach, under the full glare of the world and the police, there is one home which literally functions as a supermarket of drugs. While the police claim no evidence has been found of the possession of drugs there, Herald arrived there, after being tipped off by neighbours and locals, sick of the uncontrolled drug menace.

Syringes, yes syringes, tell tale empty packets, the kind used  to package drugs, are a trailer of the full picture which should emerge if this house in Umtavaddo is ever raided and the family members of  the couple in jail for drug related activities, are grilled.

The drug racket is allegedly run by a D’Souza family, from their house next to Pinto’s Guest House, Umtavaddo, which is metres away from the main Calangute beach.

Interestingly, two of the family members – Avil D’Souza and his wife – are in jail for illicit narcotics trade.

“This is not the first time Avil has been arrested. Earlier this year, he was arrested and had come back after serving few months in jail. However, he again started the business and hence was arrested, this time with his wife also was caught,” said a local, obviously not wanting to be named.

But the family ‘tradition’, seems to be continuing. Despite, the D’Souza couple being arrested locals claim the business is running as his son, himself a drug addict, and his Russian wife have taken control of the drug business

“It’s becoming scary with every passing day, the illegal business of drugs is on 24x7, probably worse than before when the parents were involved,” said another local.

He stated that drug addicts visit the house throughout the day and at night it is worse as they create havoc.

“They smoke weed, take dope, right here in this lane and they are here the entire night creating a nuisance,” locals said, adding that whenever the neighbours question the D’Souza family they are threatened, even with death.

Locals say that they have complained to the police but the trade continues after the cops return. “Don’t know how they come to know when police will come. They lock the doors and move out before the cops arrive and come soon after they leave,” they continued.

 What has baffled locals is why the police occasionally kepe teir cars right in from of this house. “I don’t understand this logic, how will any customer come to buy drugs if there is a police vehicle right in front of the house. If they have to catch someone red-handed they shouldn’t be in uniform or the police jeep and must be under-cover,” opined a local.

Calangute MLA, Michael Lobo when asked about the opens ale of drugs in his constituency said, “We are raiding several places and keeping watch on these things and Umtavaddo is one of them. Let me assure the people of Calangute that we will not allow our place to be used for illegal trade,” he said.

The syringes, and the anguished cry of locals, tell a different story. It tells us that the drugs have been allowed to be sold and consumed right in the open, with locals terrified to even complain. 

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