KASHMIRIS, NIGERIANS, NEPALIS UNDER SCANNER OF ANTI NARCOTIC CELL

PANJIM: Kashimiris, Himachalis, Nepalis and Nigerians are amongst the most watched out people by Goa Police’s Anti-Narcotic Cell during the tourist season.  ANC sources stated that visitors hailing from these places and having history of narcotic trade are kept under strict surveillance by the department.

With the onset of tourist season in this state, Nepalis descend here in large numbers who are usually employed in kitchens at beach shacks. Also Kashmiris, venture into Goa to enjoy a pie of tourism.

Highly placed police sources stated that people coming from these regions are on rise in the state and they are more vulnerable to being involved in drug trade.

“There are some Nepalis who either consume drugs or are into the trade. Kashmiries have also settled along the vast coastal stretch during tourist season selling Kashmiri items here. Some are involved in drugs,” an officer said.

When contacted police spokesperson Atmaram Deshpande, only said, that ANC is carrying out regular checks on any possible narcotics inflow to Goa. “Efforts are on to curb narcotics scene in Goa,” he said.

Mumbai ANC a fortnight ago made one of its biggest seizures of high quantity of cocaine and nabbed three Nigerians, one of whom was supposed to deliver to one Ogacco in Goa.

One kilogram of cocaine worth around Rs 40lakh was seized from the three – Agondi Ifinasis (58), Johny Ogacco (45) and Julius Afroom (36).

They confessed to police that the consignment was going to be delivered to Ogacco ‘who is said to be big supplier of cocaine to drug peddler as tourism season is in Goa and in huge demand.’

Reliable sources asserted that ANC team has intensified patrolling at major railways stations including Vasco, Margao, Tivim and Malpem Ponda inter-state bus points and other places.

All precautionary measures are taken even as, sources added, there is no information on any bigger consignments here so far. Meanwhile, places like lodges, guesthouses and others are being regularly checked. As the state is experiencing its annual tourist season, the possibilities of drug dealings has mounted in bulk as well as small quantity.

“As tourists’ inflow begins, the narcotics trade becomes active. Foreigners in large numbers like to smoke charas and certain other groups of domestic tourists transport these in the form of packets from other states,” said the source. The recent trend of the drug traffickers are that they seal the narcotics packets in such a way that it neither raises suspicion nor it can be located even by machine-scan as they are covered with carbon paper.(HD)