50% of drug cases in Goa still pending in court

PANAJI: Chief minister Pramod Sawant said that 504 narcotics cases have been registered from 2017 to June 30 this year, and that 294 of these are still pending in court.
Police statistics reveal that in 2017, out of the 168 cases registered, 137 are pending in court. In 2018, 151 of the 222 registered are pending, and in the first six months of 2019, six of 114 are pending. In 2017, 15 persons were adjudged guilty, while in 2018, that number was two.
Sawant, in his written reply, said that there are only rumours and no confirmed knowledge of the existence of any ‘drug mafia’ in Goa. However, Goa being a tourist destination, drugs are being smuggled into the state for trade, consumption and transit.
“Drug dealers involved in narcotic activities operate in a clandestine and organised manner,” Sawant said, adding, “Information about narcotic activities is collected through sources, raids are conducted and the perpetrators of these crimes are arrested.”
Goa police statistics show that more Goans are getting into the drug business. The first half of this year has seen 27 Goans arrested, while last year, only two were. A senior officer attributed this rise to “easy money”.
Out of the 107 people arrested this year, apart from the 27 Goans, 56 were non-Goans and 24 were foreigners. Last year saw 76 non-Goans and 16 foreigners arrested. The foreigners arrested hail from Russia, Kenya, Italy, Nigeria, and Nepal.