The Goa police cracked down on drug consumers and registered cases against seven people on charges of consuming narcotics. In a joint operation on Sunday, personnel from Anti Narcotic Cell, Crime Branch and the Anjuna Police swooped down on individuals at Vagator beach and conducted spot saliva tests for drugs, seven of which came positive.
On the face of it, this appears to be a positive step to discourage rampant drug consumption against the backdrop of joints selling/distributing drugs, including shacks and establishments, remaining insulated from raids, thanks to the inherent connections, the influences and monies at play. The narcotics trade has thrived in Goa because of the tacit support extended at various levels. A new strategy is therefore always welcome, provided it is genuine and is free from any encumbrances. Goa police have regularly made drug seizures of varying quantities, but cases have not met with much success. The question is whether booking cases alone could act as a deterrent.
Booking seven individuals in the party zone of Vagator is no big achievement, but it's a reasonably good start. It is to be seen how the police teams take this forward. Several such initiatives have unfortunately failed sooner than expected for various reasons, one being that strictures discourage tourism. Leave alone drugs, police have failed to crack down on even drunken driving when these cases could have been easy pickings.
Goa has a pathetic track record in drug-related convictions, which is 3-4 per cent. Moreover, almost 96 per cent of cases end in an acquittal of the accused due to discrepancies in the testimonies of witnesses or because the State machinery failed to present a water-tight case or the accused getting the benefit of the doubt.
The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 prescribes a penalty of up to Rs 20,000 or a sentence of up to six months, or both, in cases of consumption of common drugs like cocaine, morphine and heroin. In the Goa context, the State has shown a 65 per cent increase in drug seizures in 2022 compared to 2021. Police seized 207 kg of narcotics worth over Rs 5.1 crore. There were 180 persons arrested ” 97 'outsiders', 54 Goans and 29 foreigners.
Last year, the National Control Bureau busted an active international drug cartel in Goa. Foreign nationals were arrested, and drugs such as MDMA tablets, Mephedrone and hashish were seized. Drug seizures continue unabated, and police spare no time in carrying out photo ops with those arrested, albeit with the faces of the accused covered. Where are the convictions?
No doubt, a new beginning has been made with spot raids on consumers, but the raiding teams have to cover a lot of ground and show genuine intent and consistency first to cleanse their image of a shady past. One raid cannot sum up police resolve; neither does it reflect "zero tolerance" when coastal Goa continues to be in a state of trance. The police teams have a lot to prove.
