Extensive raids and regular checks by the state’s anti-narcotics squad has spoiled the narcotics party to a large extent this winter! The demonetisation issue was probably the biggest blow to “UNPLUG” them!
The established players in the drug industry are the only survivors mainly the foreign dealers whereas others, including the local ones have chose to remain out of the coast, at least for this tourism season.
“Even as there are few traders on the coast, they have NO takers. Demonetization has affected badly dealers as well as takers,” a long serving agent at Anjuna’s coast told Herald.
He said all overseas dealers are very active in the trade who were dealing with foreigners as well as domestic crowd.
According to him, the foreign dealers were involved in cashless and on credit schemes only with foreigners and some of them were dealing in cash as they had several routes to reach the bank which the Common Man didn’t.
“Most affected dealers in Anjuna, Vagatore, Chapora, Morjim, Arambol are the local ones. People involved in the trade for decades have closed shop especially on the coast. Petrified, some of them have not even treaded on the coasts mainly after demonetisation fearing interrogation or police action,” a retired police officer from the coastal belt said who had also served in the ANC.
After rigorous checking in the recent past and the dealers having gone underground, the ANC police have hardly made any major seizures. Officers have also said that the dealers and their trade is very weak this season, though they are keeping close watch on their activities as season is at peak with Christmas and new year celebration.
According to the traders the narcotics trade is fallen over 70% in the coastal areas with some of foreign tourist appearing sometimes, the domestic crowd is not seen.
Infamous drug lords including, those on international agency watch lists are also very active in Anjuna and Vagator with some shacks which are also under NGT scanner.
One of them, a fearless drug dealer is always seen on move at Vagator and Anjuna during the night on a scooter and deals in high profile restaurants with the foreign tourist.
After demonetisation, the open trade of narcotics have also seen operating from the shacks which are also on the radar of ANC and NCB (Narcotic Control Bureau).
Rogue shacks ‘cash in
As there is no movement of cash in the market and limit on daily withdrawal from the banks and ATMs, the shacks and other establishments have become a new hub of dealing the narcotics to the foreign tourist”, one of the shop owner from Vagatore told Herald.
He said the narcotics is being shopped through swiping (!) at few shacks and restaurants, which are selling drugs and accepting cashless payments and marking them as payments agaubnst food and alcohol bills
These activities have also seen in Baga and Calangute beach belt at limited places. This reporter was witness to this. People were seen rolling drug in paper on the tables of double deck shacks at the Calangute-Candolim border. The place was famous few years ago where most of Africans frequented.
The regular buyers and foreigners are the only takers for narcotics in the coastal belt of Goa after demonetisation whereas the drugs which were spreading across the villages of Goa have come to halt.
