PANJIM: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday said that the prevalence of drug-related offences have significantly reduced in Goa as a result of stringent action targeting both drug peddlers and users.
In his message on the occasion of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, Sawant said “Goa police remains steadfast in its commitment to Zero Tolerance Policy against illegal drugs, implementing precautionary and remedial measures to curb drug trafficking within the State”.
“Through stringent action targeting both peddlers and users, the prevalence of drug-related offences have significantly reduced,” he added.
The Chief Minister has appealed everyone to be united to combat this global menace. “Together let us build a drug-free society, ensuring a promising future for our youths,” he said.
In a statistics released by the Goa police on Sunday, it was revealed that 103 were Goans among the total of 403 persons arrested since January 2021 for illegal possession of narcotics.
Just 61 were foreigners, mostly of African nationality. The balance 243 hailed from different Indian States.
Goa police said, the aggregate value of drug seizures made during this period since January 2021 added up to a whopping Rs 10.26 crore in the international market.
A total of approximately 408 kg of drugs of different types varying from ganja to charas, cocaine, LSD, Ecstasy, MDMA, Methamphetamine etc were seized during the raids conducted by the anti-Narcotics cell of the Goa Police.
The tourist hot-spots of Anjuna, Calangute and Pernem, accounted for most cases in each year.
