Why does it take the death of two young men in two separate party venues on the same day to spark off police action against drugs, the likes of which seldom seen before? In less than 24 hours, the owner of the most controversial shack on the Anjuna coast Curlies was arrested and so was the manager of the Club Nyex, one of the newer nightclubs. The former was held because his waiter was caught with charas in his pocket while the latter allowed a drug peddler on his premises to sell drugs.
To any one even remotely connected to the goings on of this belt or even a casual observer or even a local, these activities and style of operation has become a set template on the coast and from the panchayat to the police to politicians, all are fully aware of the template where waiters double up as drug peddlers in some shacks, while in nightclubs or illegal outdoor trance venues, the operations of the big time drug dealers are carried out with the connivance of the owner or organiser who gets a commission from the sale of drugs. This is common knowledge to anyone from the local MLA to informed citizen.
Therefore, when the PI of Anjuna says that the police will crack down on drug activities and if any person is arrested for drug peddling in restaurants, night clubs or shacks, the owners of the premises will be arrested under NDPS Act, it is a trifle amusing. This is more so because the Chief Minister himself said on the same day that the police should know that if there is a party happening someone, then there is a very strong likelihood of drugs being sold in the vicinity, His major statement on Independence Day that drugs are being sole openly at rave and other party venues, belies the almost naïve approach of the Anjuna police that future crack downs of drug offences will lead to arrest of the those who own or manage venues where the activity is taking place.
The PI also said that during this stage of investigation, police will concentrate on sources through which the drug peddlers are getting drugs, and whether more people are in involved.
Now no police officer worth his salt should be in the dark about the sources through which drug peddlers are getting drugs. The ANC, the NCB and any other central or state agency are aware of the routes and the people involved including those who fund these organizations.
Intelligence gathering isn’t at all difficult. All it needs is political will. The war on drugs has to be sustained and relentless. Let ups are neither affordable nor permissible. And importantly, it is not just the police, but elected representatives and members of civil society must join this war. The people of Goa need to approach this as they approach compulsory military service in the USA or Israel. Every local has to contribute in some form or the other. A team comprising of all the concerned heads of different wings and police departments, coastal MLA’s leaders of all political parties and sections of civil society should be formed and empowered to strategise and executive this fight. The black sheep in every sphere will easily be identified and removed.
The bottom line is that this heat shouldn’t die down till this war is won. And the first step in this fight, should be a call for the local police to stop pretending that drug sales at party venues is a new phenomenon.
