TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: With drug smugglers using national and international courier services to smuggle narcotics in the State, most of the courier firms, particularly those doting the coastal belt have come under surveillance.
The insidious modus operandi has alerted the law enforcement agencies with Food and Drugs Administration and Narcotics Control Bureau, Goa unit holding a coordination meeting earlier this week to rid the state of this menace. The illegal activity has also brought pharmacies along the beach stretch under the scanner.
The modus operandi was discussed during a communication meeting between the two agencies in which the officials agreed to share information and intelligence over the movement of drugs along the coastal belt. They also discussed about maintaining a strict vigil on pharmacies and other distribution drugs outlets in the State which maybe engaged in the sale and distribution of psychotropic drugs including prescription drugs.
Conceding that courier services are being misused to carry out the illegal activity, NCB chief Ravi Rana said the former have been sensitized to thwart attempts by the drug traffickers.
“There is an urgent need for a collaborative and collective effort necessary to deal with these social problems, where certain medical stores/pharmacies in the State are in connivance in this unethical trade. The illicit drugs traffickers also used the regular domestic and international courier agency route for the transportation of such objectionable drugs…the courier agencies have been sensitized for exercising great care and precautions/responsibility/verification in the handling and transportation of courier parcels,” a FDA press release reads.
