Panaji (Goa) Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai today admitted that there is a drug mafia in the coastal state but people are afraid to spill beans on them.
Two Tamil Nadu based youths had died due to drug overdose last Sunday following which State police have began a crackdown on the narcotics trade in the coastal belt.
“There is a drug mafia and everybody knows that there is a drug mafia. People may be scared to spill beans on them, so people require protection, they require some guarantee that whatever that is being disclosed about the drugs mafia will actually reach the powers that be and not that drug mafia itself,” Sardesai told reporters here today.
“That is why we have talked about forming squads in the constituencies which are represented by mlas of our party,” he said.
Goa Forward Party which is headed by Sardesai has decided to form special squads to help police track down drug trade in Siolim and Saligao Assembly constituencies.
Sardesai said for the police to act, someone has to inform. “People are aggrieved with social impact of the drugs. The drug industry needs to be broken,” he said.
“Mafia is making it (drugs) reach the colleges, schools, and hinterland of Goa. We need effort to save the Goa, to save our next generation,” he said.
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar addressing Independence Day gathering had said that the lack of employment resulting in frustration is leading youths towards drugs. He had assured action against the drug trade in the State.
Team TNV