MORJIM: Most of the foreign drug peddlers with their origins in Africa, who have constantly been shifting their base in coastal Goa, have now moved to the northern most part of the State.
While most of them, mainly Nigerian nationals, first came to Candolim, almost invading it with their illegal narcotics trade, local resistance forced them to move northwards. From Candolim they went to Parra, and from there to Siolim and have now made Morjim and Arambol their base. However, they still face resistance in the small villages of the coastal Pernem.
Their present base is Arambol, Mandrem, Paliem and Morjim systematically scattered in all the villages. Around 20-30 Nigerians have moved in every village so as to not disturb the locality. But their behaviour and the trade they are involved in has indeed rattled those in the northern most tip of the state, in the Chief Minister’s constituency and adjoining areas.
Village panchayats, like Siolim and Parra which earlier had a large population of African nationals, believed to be mainly Nigerians, have even passed resolutions asking that villagers stop renting out residential premises to these foreigners in the villages.
“It is very difficult to catch them red handed while doing any drug dealing, because they deal in a group. More than three persons are involved in one deal and that’s the reason why it becomes difficult for us to trap them,” the Police Inspector from a coastal Police Station said.
One badly affected village in Pernem is Paliem, which falls between Arambol and Keri. Most of them have rented residential houses and at night others from the group join them and create a nuisance in the locality, local resident Sushant Naik said.
As per figures with Goa Police in 2014 and 2015 they arrested 32 Nigerian nationals under the NDPS Act.
Robberies and thefts on the rise in Paliem
Besides the drugs trade, villagers have also complained of a spurt in robberies and thefts in the past few months. Locals have complained that even during the off season many Nigerians are seen on the beaches of Pernem and are involved in thefts.
Sources said there has been a spurt of robberies in Arambol and Morjim villages. The villagers alleged that many Nigerians visit Goa on a student visa and after expiry of the visa and exhausting their financial resources they resort to thefts.
Locals allege that Nigerians roam around freely carrying weapons like knives leading to panic among the people. Villagers have complained to the local police as well as to the panchayat, to initiate action against them but nothing has been moved to curb their menace in the villages.
