Editor, Goemkarponn
AERIlAL VIEW
Even though Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and the Goa Police have consistently denied the existence of a drug mafia in Goa, I, through the reports in the past, have proved them wrong.
Yes, Anjuna is the drug den of Goa where drugs are available freely, and the sooner the Chief Minister, Goa Police and Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte agree to it, the better it will be for Goa tourism.
Everywhere in Anjuna, right from Lamanis on the beach to the shacks, restaurants or stray peddlers, drugs are available at will. But sadly, only the Goa Police and administration cannot see that. Agreed, there have been arrests and raids, but they do not deter the confidence of the drug mafia.
SURAJ NANDREKAR
Editor, Goemkarponn
After two years of COVID-19 pandemic-induced slowdown in the Tourism Industry, Goa has once again seen a jump in tourist footfalls. Tourists have again started to land and enjoy Goa, and businesses have begun to flourish.
However, amidst this comes the advisory from the Japanese Consulate for its citizens visiting Goa.
In an advisory issued recently, the Consulate General has asked Japanese tourists to remain aware and vigilant of any activities of criminal groups targeting travellers and implicating them into false cases of banned drug possession and then extorting money from them.
Last year in April, a 59-year-old Japanese tourist was implicated in illegally possessing banned drugs (charas and ganja) and was arrested by Anjuna Police. The police had recovered the drugs from a scooter parked outside his rented accommodation.
“An incident similar to this case occurred even before the corona disaster several years ago. As the number of people travelling overseas has increased due to the recent relaxation of immigration restrictions in response to the novel coronavirus infection, please be aware that there is a possibility that the activities of criminal groups targeting travellers, etc., have intensified.”
The Consulate General stated that recently, there had been multiple cases of confinement, fraud and robbery involving Japanese tourists near Anjuna Beach in Goa
Even though Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and the Goa Police have consistently denied the existence of a drug mafia in Goa, I, through the reports in the past, have proved them wrong.
Yes, Anjuna is the drug den of Goa where drugs are available freely, and the sooner the Chief Minister, Goa Police and Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte agree to it, the better it will be for Goa tourism.
Everywhere in Anjuna, right from Lamanis on the beach to the shacks, restaurants or stray peddlers, drugs are available at will. But sadly, only the Goa Police and administration cannot see that. Agreed, there have been arrests and raids, but they do not deter the confidence of the drug mafia. Simply because the punishment is not enough or the police deliberately do not present a proper case for conviction.
This is why the Hyderabad police had to come all the way and arrest two kingpins of the Goa drugs buisness – Edwin Nunes of Curlies and Steve of Hilltop. Why did the long Goa police’s long hands not reach these two?
Not just drugs, Anjuna has been notorious for mysterious deaths of foreigners, the fitting example of Scarlett Keeling at Anjuna beach, which tarnished Goa’s image worldwide.
But what is shocking is despite so much happening in Anjuna, why are the authorities not ready to act?
Soon after, the Japanese Consulate Advisory, the SP North Goa, was quick to react, saying
“There has been no incident/crime targeting Japanese near Anjuna Beach. Japanese Consulate General in Mumbai has not communicated to Goa Police anything in this regard.”
One may feel that instead of being in denial mode, SP North should have asked for an investigation into the matter and made the Consulate feel comfortable to recommend citizens visit Goa.
But no, what we do is straight “No” there is no such thing happening here.
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