Mapusa (Goa): In a first, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Goa has raided a residential premise for drugs and decided not to disclose the value of the seized contraband, claiming it was influencing the youth to take up the illegal trade. 

The NCB team raided a house at Assagaon, Mapusa belonging to Prasad Walke and recovered 21 LSD papers weighing 0.53 gms, 8.9 gms cocaine, two Ecstasy tablets weighing 0.75 gms and 428 gms ganja. The team led by Superintendent Jitendra Ranjan arrested the local under relevant sections of the NDPS Act, but has refused to divulge the value of the drigs to the media this time. 

“NCB Goa is not quoting the price of the seized drugs as exaggeration of drug rate is directly or indirectly influencing the youth to lure in this illegal trade of drugs,” an official said. 

In spite of the efforts to curb the drug trafficking  in Goa, the lure of fast and easy money through drug peddling has influenced many Goans. Several locals have been arrested in the recent past indicating the craze among them to earn fast money. In one such case, two sisters and their father were arrested for drug-related activities in the second half of the 2017 year. 

While then Goa CM Pratapsing Rane has often expressed worry on the youths enticed to the illicit trade, the police department have also shown concern. 

“People are getting into drugs trade owing to easy and fast money… and after looking into the drugs trade we have realized that some local Goan families are also involved in the drugs trade,” Umesh Gaonkar, SP of the anti-narcotic cell of the Goa police was recently quoted. 

Team TNV