Controlling it they say is “impossible”. In this context, MrParrikar’s “no go” to drugs faces a practical real challenge. This is the firstof a two-part ground report
2009 -An Emirates flight EK -0248, originating from theMinistro Pistarini International airport Buenos Aires, Argentina touched downat the Dubai International airport carrying an African national. He connectedto a Mumbai bound flight. On touchdown, he appeared clean and was about toclear customs and immigration when a Narcotics Control Bureau team under thecharge of the then zonal director Yashodhan Wanage, picked up the national andtook him to a government hospital for a scan of his stomach. The reportsshocked the team. 58 prices of cocaine pellets covered in plastic were lodgedin his stomach cavity. For 17 days, inspite of pressure applied, the manrefused to allow surgery. He also drank only fluids to prevent defecation andtake the contents out. Eventually, the courts allowed surgery and the highlyharmful tablets were operated out. The protective anti acid covering preventedstomach acids from acting on them.
It was later found that a part of this consignment was meantfor Goa.
March 2012: The same team picked up what looked like a usualconsignment of shoes and handbags. But they contained pretty unusualaccessories. Stapled on the insides of the shoes and hand bags were sachets ofcocaine powder, 29 kgs in all, the biggest ever single haul in the last decade.The NCB, after investigations found that a portion of this was bound for Goa.
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar may have bravely said thatdrugs would be no go in his Goa, but there are harsh realities that go beyondthe realm and capacity of Goa. Goa is one of the most important hubs ofinternational drug consumption and trade though in terms of scale, trade ismuch lower than consumption.
While exact figures are difficult to get the monetary volumeof consumption in the past five years is about Rs 1000 crores. With miningroyalties pegged roughly Rs 3500 crores in five years, the drug business israkes in one third of this amount.
This figure has emerged from joint estimates of theDirectorate of Revenue Intelligence and the Narcotics Control Bureau, bothagencies having overlapping jurisdiction. The DRI investigates cases from thequantum of money involved in transactions, while the NCB cracks down on thetrade itself.
The graphic above is a detailed account of the movementsinto Goa. While media reports and police files are enough to establish themarket, its mechanics and players, theenormity of this syndicate, the deep involvement of Goans -- including members of the panchayat,the police and politicians has never been exposed to its full capacity.
The rest of the country may have ignored this ignominy butpause for a moment to soak in the fact that the immediate past Home Minister’sson’s alleged involvement in the drug business is being officially investigatedby a committee of the legislative assembly. While the jury is out on Ravi Naik’sson Roy Naiks direct or indirect involvement, including protection, the case issettled on the involvement of local politicians, policemen and panchayatmembers on the drug trade.
The Goan, will working on this story came across a legalbump. With no complaints or cases registered against almost anyone, namingspecific players is a hurdle, but we will work around it by giving instancesthat indicate the strength of the syndicate.
The drug business in Goa works through a traditional hub andspoke system. This is perhaps known but what is not is that certain perfectlyabove board businessmen and traders allow incoming “cargo” to land in theirpremises for further distribution through a spoke mechanism. The biggest ofthem lives near Mapusa and has been feeding the syndicate for years. He handlesmainly the Indian consignment of marijuana (ganja) and Hashish.
A senior officer of the Department of Revenue Intelligencesaid “The involvement of Goans in the trade is very strong. The Mapusa man andtwo others work with the Russian and the Israeli drug syndicates who controlthe trade and sale of drugs through the local spoke system”. He explains thatonce drugs move out of the hub, they are sent to multiple storage points. Theyrange from fishermen’s huts to shacks to apartments in the north coastal belt. Fromhere the inner tier consisting of a network of locals pick up stuff accordingto demand and reaches stiff to the outer tier who the last points before drugsare sold to peddlers who are the last spokes in the chain. These peddlerssupply even to some medicine shops, like one in Baga, close to a series ofnightclubs.
Most of the drug business s in Goa in under wraps because ofthe heavy protection all the hubs and spoke get from the local police. Here’san example. One Norman D Souza (information from DRI), an owner of anightclub/bar close to the Ronil’s resort in Baga, near the Titos lane waspicked by the DRI for using his club as a front for open drug business . Assoon as he was held, the MLA of the surrounding area started making calls tothe DRI claiming the man was innocent. The DRI told the local police to tellthe MLA that central agencies don’t listen to unsolicited opinions. As soon asthe case was transferred from the DRI to the police for further investigations,it fell through.
In another instance, Isaac, a part time regional actor whowas both a trader and consumer was caught, along with one of his accomplicesIsmail. After the arrest, the Porvorimpolice said “Wait for the first call”. In ten minutes, a heavyweight veteranCongress minister from South Goa “ordered’ Ismails release. The “order” wasimplemented.
Around the same period, the DRI discovered a series of safehouses used for storage, packing and other activities. A house near the Bean Me Up restaurant inLittle Vagator was used to make false bottom suitcases. When a joint DFRI andpolice team was on its way to raid the house the DySP admitted that the personin that house was tipped off by his own men and had left.
The open connivance and involvement of panchayat members whopatronise local clubs and allow drug movements, and the local police hasfrustrated the DRI and the NCB. An officer said ‘Till 2009, I worked hard. Butit’s no use. Everyone is involved. You can’t have a “no go” to drugs when theofficial and political machinery allows the trade to run”……( to be continuednext week)
Coming up next week:
How Goa smokes, snorts and injects
Where does one do it?
Why is the Congress silent on the inquiry against its formerHome Minister’s son?
