PANAJI
The Goa Police may change tack in its efforts to crack down on the drug network in the State, even as newly appointed Director General of Police Jaspal Singh on Thursday said that there was need to make a dent in the top echelons of the drug network, which he said was run by "very, very intelligent people".
Singh, who took over as the State's top cop on Thursday, also called for a multi-agency co-ordinated effort to crack down on perpetrators of cybercrime, which he said was vastly different from conventional crime genres.
"We will formulate an appropriate strategy. When I speak about prevention of crime, that includes drugs also and being an iconic tourist destination, we do not want that people should remember Goa because of this aspect. That has always been the priority, not only with me, but my predecessors also. Everybody has tried his level best to contain this menace," Singh said, soon after he took charge of the police force, of which he has been a part of twice in his career.
"Drug trade has a typical dynamic. It is a complete chain actually. Sometimes international cartels are involved. Sometimes local cartels are involved. So, the peddler is not aware who has handed him the packet. This trade is conducted by very intelligent people. So therefore we will make sure that our police force is able to catch the last person in the chain," the top cop said.
Singh also said that the police would need assistance from central enforcement agencies like the Narcotics Control Bureau and police networks in neighbouring States to rein in the network
"Ultimately, it is going to be a joint effort because individually it is very difficult to bust an international cartel. So therefore we will ensure that we train our people. Unless we are able to reach the first stage of the supplier, it is very difficult to make a dent on such trade," he said.
Singh further said that Goa's USP over the decades has changed from the state which was once known as a destination for drugs.
"Goa's popularity as a destination for drugs had waned in recent times, I would say. (Once) it used to be synonymous with drugs, but now people don't come for this. People come to see the natural beauty, Goan food, Goan culture, Goan music," Singh said.
"Now, the USP of Goan State is its culture and its beaches. Earlier, when I was SP (Superintendent of Police) Narcotics, it used to be synonymous with it (drugs)," Singh also said.
The DGP, who has served as an assistant Superintendent of Police as well as the state Inspector General of Police also said that cyber security had emerged as a challenge for the police force, but added that tackling such crimes, would need a multi-agency approach, technically skilled manpower as well as awareness amongst the general population about cyber security.
"Cybercrime is unique, in the sense that it requires highly technically trained people and there is no scene of crime in a cybercrime and you have to reach through to the commiter of the offence through technical analysis. The Government of India has also started a National Cyber Crime portal. They are also trying to build capacities of the state police forces. State police forces including we are also making efforts," Singh said, conceding that cybercrime had reached alarming proportions.
"Our Forensic Science Laboratory is well equipped and our cyber-cell is well equipped. Some of our police officers at senior level are also very tech savvy and they are also supervising detection of crime, but the efforts need to be made at different levels. Governments, IT department, educational institutions and police department, because it is committed by very intelligent tech-savvy people. We need to build capacities," he said.
