Less than a month after the Goa government hit out at the opposition parties for ‘tarnishing’ the name of the State as one of a destination for drugs and sex, the enforcement authorities have bust some major drug deals, two of them involving Nigerians and both in the Bardez coastal belt. It really brings to question whether the State is doing enough to keep the drug trade in check.
In what was the single-largest narcotics seizure by Goa Police in recent times, Calangute Police recently raided a rented premises at Ximer, Candolim and held a Nigerian National with drugs worth approximately Rs 3 crore. The drugs in possession of the Nigerian included 1.021 kg of cocaine, 2.035 kg MDMA, 760 grams of amphetamine, 106 grams charas, 1.270 kg ganja and Rs 2 lakh in cash. This man had earlier been convicted for overstaying, and also booked for possession of cocaine – the case is undergoing trial in court. This came just over a week after the police chased and arrested a Nigerian who is alleged to be a kingpin of the drug network in North coastal belt along with his two of his associates, again in possession of narcotics, this time worth Rs 1.50 lakh. The man had been on the police watch for over two years, and might have escaped had not the police kept up the chase and nabbed him.
There are two issues here – the crimes by foreigners in Goa, and the portrayal of the State and the villages involved due to the drug seizures. Given that Bardez has been the focal point of the drug raids, it is understandable that the residents of Calangute are upset that their village, known for its beautiful beach, is now getting wrongly portrayed as a place where drugs are freely available. In October itself, Calangute police registered four cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act where a Nigerian national was involved, which has led to a call by the villagers to bring an end to this activity. The coastal area, as some have said, appears to have turned into a drug haven. The villagers also fear that the drug nexus that exists in coastal area could destroy the youth, who may succumb to the temptation and the easy availability of drugs.
The other issue is of foreigners in crime. It is becoming increasingly clear that crimes by foreigners in the State are on the rise, primarily in narcotics peddling cases, but not restricted to it. In the past year there have been arrests of foreigners on charges of growing narcotic substances in their homes and compounds. These included Russians, and there was also the arrest of a gang of Georgian nationals for theft in Bardez. To recap what Herald had said earlier, there is data released by the National Crime Records Bureau that in 2016 there had been 22 crimes against foreigners in Goa, while the number of crimes by foreigners was 80. These included murder and rape, and the number had increased from the previous year. This is unassailable proof that crimes by foreigners in Goa are increasing and have to be tackled with a strong hand.
The authorities in Goa have a major task at hand if they are to contain crimes by foreigners and also if they are to curb the flow of drugs. There have been statements made that Goa Police are committed towards zero tolerance to drugs, but the action to keep this pledge is missing. The month of October may have seen some major drug hauls, but as pointed out by Calangute villagers, this is but the tip of the iceberg. What Goa Police need to do is stop the flow of drugs into the State. This will in turn stop the sale of drugs in the State.
