As if the high octane music which crosses all limits to shatter the peace of the area was not enough. We have another problem on hand. The men who play the music to  ROCK THE CROWD! Yes, you got it right, the men who set these party-goers to groove and then go mad---the DJs!

Do they have the proper papers and work permits to perform their duties at these parties? Herald set out to find answers to these queries. 

Herald didn’t have to strive hard to find out that most of these DJs had “improper documents”. It has also come to the fore that most of these DJs are not only drug consumers but also drug carriers, transporting a cocktail of synthetic drugs through the porous borders.

“A large number of foreign DJs don’t have work permits. They are here on a tourist visa but manage to get employed illegally. The dance-and-music clubs hire them for a certain period despite knowing that it attracts penal action,” said a local party addict on the condition of anonymity. 

Herald’s probe also revealed that most of these foreign DJs hail from East European countries and Russia. It is strange that while some foreign DJs were arrested for their involvement in the drug racket, but no DJ has been held so far for improper papers/documents or for not possessing the right documents. A senior police officer told Herald it was during the verification of the travel documents, that they realized that these DJs were on tourist visas. 

What’s interesting is that these foreigners prefer performing in Mojim, Vagator and Anjuna that has less domestic DJs. “There are quite a few foreign DJs playing mostly in Anjuna, Vagator, Morjim. They mostly perform in clubs and for special events,” renowned DJ from Goa Ashton told Herald. Asked about the nationalities, he said a huge bunch of them are from Russia and UK. 

“The DJs whom I knew in the past carried valid permits. I don’t know the status now because places where I perform have either local or domestic DJs,” he said. The coastal stretch in Calangute and parts of cities witnesses local and domestic DJs. 

“The foreign DJs, although not all, carry synthetic drugs from their countries into Goa. Call it security lapse; such drugs are usually not detected during immigration checks. They are professionals… . They conceal it in such a way that the contraband escapes law and enforcement authorities’ checks,” the police officer revealed. 

One of their modus-operandi to ensure entry of liquid narcotics is done by replacing the originally prescribed medicine from its container. “They purchase prescribed medicine from the pharmacies in their countries and replace the same with liquid or powdered drugs in an efficient manner. If at all they are asked during the security check, they flash the prescription and the medicine bottle or pouch,” he said adding that these drugs are then sold in the late night parties. 

Most of these foreign DJs prefer stage names making it difficult to track their records in the office of the FRRO. Herald approached the police with names of some DJs, which sounded as ‘stage names’ and it was confirmed that these indeed were not the original names of the individuals. 

Director-General of Police Muktesh Chander conceded that many foreign DJs are not on valid permits of whom some could be involved in narcotics trade. “It is possible that some of them are drug carriers. I have instructed my officers to crackdown on foreign DJs who do not posses valid visa/work permits, and to also continue cracking down on the drug menace,” he told Herald. 

Sanjay Govekar of Shiva Valley, the premise that has been under radar for a number of violations; and Keshav Palyekar of Banyan Tree claim that they do not have foreign DJs. While Govekar also maintained they are shut during the monsoon, Palyekar flatly denied holding any parties. “We are a hotel (probably meant to say restaurant). We did conduct parties some 30-odd years ago but during to prevailing drug menace in the coastal belts, we have stopped late hour parties,” Palyekar said.