Criminal gangs from Merces have migrated to fresher pastures and now inhabit the lucrative coastal belt
In his twenties, Zenito Cardozolives the high life. He has his own bungalow in St. Cruz, drives swanky carsand flashes expensive mobiles. He can afford anything but his source of income isunknown. Till a few years ago, locals remember him as a shy resident with asmall ancestral house in Kalapur. Zenitonever had a job nor was he a part of the notorious ‘Protectors’ group allegedlyrun by former St. Cruz MLA Victoria Fernandes’s son Rudolf. The billionrupee question then is ‘what does Zenito do for a living and who patronises him?
The answer lies in the touristbelt of Calangute-Candolim and Baga. This happens to be the workspace of peoplelike Zenito, a notorious criminal charged with murder and extortion. A similar patternemerges with criminals like Ashpak Bengre, Dinesh Patil, Paulo D’cruz etc. Onceupon a time, these criminals used to rule St. Cruz, Taleigao and Merces andtheir trails, according to police sources, led to the local MLAs of St. Cruzand Taleigao. But now, the lucrative coastal belt, a happy hunting ground ofsex- and drugs is an attractive bet.
Zenito’s presence in Candolim,Calangute and Anjuna is noticed by state police department, who seem reluctantto initiate any action due to his smart modus operandi. Sources in the policestations reveal that plenty of complaints were received during the season.
Police sources in North Goa saidthat Zenito roams in a car with tinted glasses and is involved in prostitution,extortion, robbery etc. He also takes protection money from the builder lobby. Asource claim that Zenito gets boys from Bhatkal and Tamil Nadu to commitseveral crimes and was arrested this year by the Calangute police for doing so.Zenito’s links with Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte is well known. Highly placedpolice sources confirm that they are tracking the links between Khaunte andZenito.
Zenito, like many other like himhave had more than a brush with politics. He accompanied Porvorim MLA RohanKahunte around during the March assembly elections. He even Zenito addressed a press conference atKhaunte’s hotel Salida del Sol to answer the allegation leveled against him. Rohanrefused to furnish the CCTV camera footage to the police, when they tried tolearn more about his associates who were present during the conference. Thefootage also included visuals of police constable Datta Vernekar who is beinginvestigated for his links with gangsters based in Tiswadi.
Another notorious criminal AshpakBengre is presently out on conditional bail. His political master ensured hisrelease during the last assembly election. He was also charged with murder. Hestays in Anjuna and in partnership with a German national runs a small businesson the Anjuna coast. He conducts operations from his beach shack. He associatesare involved in fraud, hafta collection, extortion etc. Aspak is a resident ofBetim Bardez and stays alone following his divorce.
