CALANGUTE: The Calangute police on Sunday arrested nine more persons in the ongoing crackdown on touts harassing tourists with offers of providing all kinds of illegal services.
Around 400 persons have been arrested since the beginning of the year following complaints that tourists were being harassed and cheated by touts, Calangute police said.
Over the weekend, in a joint operation with the tourism department, the police had detained 30 touts operating in Calangute, under the Goa Tourist Trade Act, after North Goa SP Nidhin Valsan had recently suggested that since the tourism department is the nodal agency to implement the Tourist Trade Act, they should join hands with the police to handle the menace of touts in Calangute.
Meanwhile, Calangute MLA Michael Lobo said on Monday that cheating tourists has become a business by itself for many persons coming to Goa from other states. “These touts come from other states and they start this business of duping tourists, cheating tourists and take money from them. This business has to be laid to rest with strict implementation of the rules and regulations,” he said.
