Goa CM seeks report over more Goans entering drug trade

PANAJI: A day after the TOI reported that an increasing number of Goans are turning to the drugs trade, chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday warned of strict action and directed police to submit a detailed report within 24 hours.
Sawant told TOI that Goans are not involved in drug trade. “Someone must be involved in illegal business. I have asked superintendent of police (anti-narcotics cell) Utkrisht Prasoon to submit the report along with the data of those arrested for drug trade besides the steps taken to rehabilitate affected youth,” he said.
Earlier, Sawant had told TOI that the ANC was doing a very good job and keeping a vigil on drugs allegedly made available in school and college campuses.
Government’s priority is to act against peddlers’
We need to take youth away from this evil. I have directed the police officials to hold a meeting with NGOs active in this field,” chief minister Pramod Sawant said.
Sawant said that it is the priority of his government to act against drug peddlers. Foreigners involved in drug trade would be detained and deported from the state, he said, adding, the government recently inaugurated a detention centre at Mapusa.
The number of Goans involved in the drug trade has witnessed a drastic increase in the first half of 2019 with locals accounting for 27 of the 107 arrests made, as per the Goa police statistics.
From January 2019 till date, 102 drugs cases were registered and 107 people were arrested. Out of which, 27 were Goans, 56 non-Goans and 24 foreigners. In 2018, 91 cases were registered and 84 persons were arrested which included two Goans, 76 non-Goans and 16 foreigners.
However, a similar trend was not observed as far as the quantity of drugs seizure. Till June 24,2019 the police have seized 28.8kg of drugs while it was 45.1kg in 2018. The seizure value has gone up by Rs 45.6 lakh. The value of drugs seized till June 24 stood at Rs 1.3 crore.