TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Confirming long held suspicions yet again that drug were freely available in Goa’s capital, the anti narcotics cell of Goa police seized over Rs 27 lakh worth Charas in two separate raids on February 13 and 14.
Wednesday’s seizure DIG O P Mishra, told at a press briefing, was the second biggest seizure in the last eight years. Three Nepalese, coincidentally having the same surname though not related– Janak Ghartimagar, Bijay Ghartimagar, both 23 and Sherbahadur Ghartimagar, 20, were arrested with the charas.
In the first raid at Old Malim Jetty, Janak was caught carrying 13.036 kgs Charas in a black and yellow shoulder bag and Rs 1,000 cash, while he waited for his prospective customer. DIG Mishra said the carrier hails from a poor family and is employed as a waiter in a hotel, in
“He was carrying drugs from
In the subsequent raid on Thursday morning, the team apprehended two others with the contraband. While Bijay is a first year student at
The ANC had earlier arrested 32-year U Victor Izuchukwu with three kg of charas approximately valued at Rs 4,50,000 in the international market. The accused had been previously arrested by the Calangute police for possession of charas, ganja and cocaine and was released on bail, pending trial.
According to the police, PSI Somnath Mahajik received a tip-off that a strongly built, tall, ‘dark complexion’ person, wearing red T-shirt and blue jeans would be coming to deliver drugs to his prospective customer behind the resort. Accordingly, the police team laid a trap.
Earlier drugs were traded only along the coastal belt and this fuelled rave parties. Even the law enforcers have been found involved in the trade and many are facing trail in the courts.
In what was the biggest drug haul this tourist season, 18 kgs of the illegal narcotic haul came close on the heels of the arrest of a Nigerian with Rs 4.5 lakh worth charas near Swim Sea hotel on the Caranzalem beachfront.
