TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Nigerians and Russians constitute majority of the 29 foreigners who have undergone drug detoxification treatment at Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour (IPHB) this year till date.
Officials say the figures are just the tip of the ice-berg as there are still a number of foreign nationals taking treatment for drug detoxification at other medical facilities, especially the private ones thriving along the coastal belt.
“Out of about 1400 patients admitted to IPHB for various kinds of treatment this year, nearly all foreign nationals were referred for detoxification treatment… But there are private centres which clandestinely carry out the treatment to mint money and these records are not available with the government,” an official at IPHB said, wishing anonymity.
Some of these foreigners are reportedly wanted in police cases including narcotics cases; however there is no official confirmation on this count.
In addition to these patients, sources said several locals and those hailing from the neighbouring states also undergo detox.
Goa police have registered around 205 drug-related offences and arrested more than 150 drug traffickers from 2010 till October 2013. Sources said that many other drug abusers including local youth go to illegitimate drug detoxification centres to avoid legal action.
The anti-drug agencies have often been raising concern over the illegal narcotics detoxification centres mushrooming along the State’s coastline and decided to crack down upon them. Narcotics Control Bureau, Goa Unit, has also began a crackdown on drug crimes.
“Several medical facilities, like hospitals along the beach locations, have been doubling up as drug detoxification centres, without permission of the authorities. Whenever a patient with drug overdose is referred to them, they clandestinely treat them,” Narcotics Control Bureau Chief Ravi Kumar Rana was quoted as saying.
