In a significant crackdown and fight against narcotics, Anjuna Police in a late-night operation in Assagao, arrested Masood Ahmad Patloo, a 54-year-old native of Behar, Srinagar in Jammu & Kashmir for possessing drugs and cash worth Rs 14.3 lakh.
The accused was arrested in the early hours of August 3, following specific and reliable intelligence received by the Anjuna Police.
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The accused is currently residing in Assagao.
During the raid, police recovered a total of 1,770 grams of suspected ganja valued at approximately Rs 1.7 lakh, and 56 grams of suspected hydroponic ganja estimated to be worth Rs 5.6 lakh. Officers also seized Rs 7 lakh in cash, all of which was found concealed in a black shoulder bag carried by the accused.
Police officials confirmed that further investigations are on to determine the source of the narcotics and whether the accused is linked to a larger drug trafficking network operating in the State.
Police stated that the accused has been residing in Goa for the last 30 years and dealing in garments at his boutiques in Candolim and Baga. He was transacting business by purchasing imported clothes. Recently, he had set up a jewellery shop at a restaurant on the hill top at Anjuna and was on the radar of police as they had substantial information that he was dealing in narcotics. He was using these shops to carry out the nefarious trade and sell drugs to elite clients, basically foreign nationals, said a senior police officer on condition of anonymity.
“He was under the watch list for the last eight months. After we got information that Patloo used to procure drugs from the North East and sell it to clients at night parties personally and even through small runners. Patloo revealed that he would procure the drugs through a main kingpin each time he sold off what he had,” police sources said, adding that they were now looking out for call details of all his customers and the dealer who supplied him the drugs, hoping to nab ‘big fish’ involved in the racket.
Asked if there was any case against Patloo, police sources said the accused was booked by ANC in 2011.
During interrogation, Patloo also revealed that he was residing in Goa after marrying a foreigner.
During the raid, police recovered a total of 1,770 grams of suspected ganja valued at approximately Rs 1.7 lakh, and 56 grams of suspected hydroponic ganja estimated to be worth Rs 5.6 lakh. Officers also seized Rs 7 lakh in cash, all of which was found concealed in a black shoulder bag carried by the accused.
Police officials confirmed that further investigations are on to determine the source of the narcotics and whether the accused is linked to a larger drug trafficking network operating in the State.
Police stated that the accused has been residing in Goa for the last 30 years and dealing in garments at his boutiques in Candolim and Baga. He was transacting business by purchasing imported clothes. Recently, he had set up a jewellery shop at a restaurant on the hill top at Anjuna and was on the radar of police as they had substantial information that he was dealing in narcotics. He was using these shops to carry out the nefarious trade and sell drugs to elite clients, basically foreign nationals, said a senior police officer on condition of anonymity.
“He was under the watch list for the last eight months. After we got information that Patloo used to procure drugs from the North East and sell it to clients at night parties personally and even through small runners. Patloo revealed that he would procure the drugs through a main kingpin each time he sold off what he had,” police sources said, adding that they were now looking out for call details of all his customers and the dealer who supplied him the drugs, hoping to nab ‘big fish’ involved in the racket.
Asked if there was any case against Patloo, police sources said the accused was booked by ANC in 2011.
During interrogation, Patloo also revealed that he was residing in Goa after marrying a foreigner.
