Goa: Drug peddlers using passwords, digital payments for deliveries, says NCB

PANAJI: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has said that its recent raids have revealed that drug peddlers are increasingly using digital payments and passwords to figure out if the customer is genuine, and to deliver the drugs.
The NCB has noted that until a passcode is shared by the customer, the dealer doesn’t deliver the drugs.
In two separate narcotic raids this week, the NCB arrested three people, including two Nigerians and one local, and seized drugs worth Rs 30 lakh.
NCB’s zonal director Sameer Wankhede said that in these operations, the bureau intercepted three persons at various locations and seized a total 60 tablets of ecstasy/MDMA, 350g of Nepali charas and 20 blots of LSD.
In the first case, Wankhede said that on the basis of reliable information, a joint team of NCB Mumbai and Goa conducted a raid at Gaum Waddo, Anjuna, and seized 37 tablets of ecstasy/MDMA and a substantial quantity of charas, and intercepted one Roque Jose Fernandez. In a follow-up operation, an NCB team recovered 340g of Nepali charas from his two-wheeler parked at Anjuna.
He also said that based on Fernandez’ preliminary disclosure, NCB intercepted one Nigerian namely Chidi Osita Okonkwo alias Benjamin with 23 tablets of ecstasy/MDMA. Wankhede said that Benjamin was intercepted after a 500m on-foot chase in the jungle. Three NCB officials were injured in the pursuit.
“Benjamin was the main supplier of the drugs,” Wankhede said. “Fernandez is a notorious drug trafficker of North Goa. He was earlier booked in two NDPS cases and is presently out on bail.” Wankhede also said that Fernandez owns a hotel in Anjuna.
“Fernandez operates the drug racket from his ice-cream parlour-cum-grocery store,” Wankhede said. “The drugs are booked at his ice-cream parlour and he delivers the drugs from one guest house in Anjuna. The payments were done digitally by using Google Pay, etc.”
He also said that Fernandez also provided drugs to tourists and consumers in front of the guest house. Some complaints have been received from the neighbours and some tourists regarding the peddling of drugs.
The NCB has said that Nepali charas is the pure form of charas. It is imported from Nepal and costlier than Indian charas.
In the second operation, Wankhede said that the NCB intercepted one Nigerian, Onayeka Egike, and seized 20 blots of LSD at Bardez.
“Preliminary investigation has revealed that the said accused uses a unique modus operandi to deliver the drug consignment — he uses passwords to identify genuine customers. He changes his delivery location multiple times, and makes the customer wait for 5-6 hours to ascertain their genuineness,” Wankhede said.
Wankhede said that Egike used his two-wheeler to make the deliveries, and that the bike has also been seized. He was earlier booked in an NDPS case in 2019 by the crime branch, and is currently out on bail.