the goan I network
VASCO
A group of three women claiming to be an NGO linked to the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has been conning many eateries in the port town since the last two days.
According to sources, the group has also managed to collect amounts like Rs 5,000 and above from many eateries and restaurants in Vasco as fines levied by the FDA.
Sources said the three have not given any receipt for the money collected and warned eateries and restaurants that they would come for regular checks. They even went to the extent of warning the restaurant owners that slightest violation could attract a fine of Rs 5,000, for which no receipts would be provided.
“The women have a typical modus operandi. They arrive at a restaurant and start ordering for food. While eating, they start finding flaws in the taste and make a noise to create panic in the restaurant. Once the owner starts attending to them, the group then claims there may be lack of hygiene at the restaurant,” said the source.
“Then they start shooting videos of different areas of the restaurant with their mobile phones. This is just to check if the manager or the owner of the restaurant is scared. Once they notice the reaction, they storm the kitchen and start finding flaws and threaten to call the FDA boss along with the police,” the source described.
The source said the trio then flash identity cards and claim to be linked to an NGO associated with the FDA to act as undercover people to report hygiene and various other aspects.
“Even if the owner tries to talk to them, they refuse to listen and claim the FDA director has empowered them to fine the restaurant an amount of Rs 5,000, while also demanding another Rs 5,000 not to escalate the matter and resolve the issue amicably. They take the money and eat for free while sometimes also taking parcels as samples for laboratory analysis,” said the source.
“These groups have conned around 10 small and medium eateries in Vasco, owners or managers of which are not well educated.”
“They even claim to be having connections in the central ministry and threaten to finish the restaurant if the owner tries to alert other restaurants about their presence.”
“This group does not approach high-end restaurants where owners are well aware of the rules, but only target small and medium eateries. However, so far there has been no complain registered at the Vasco police station against these women,” the source added.
