Kingpin of drugs trade in Goa yet to be identified: CM Pramod Sawant

Panaji: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said the kingpin of drugs trade in the state was yet to be traced, but the police's anti-narcotics cell was making all efforts to nab him.

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The investigation into the drug peddling in the state was based on the information provided by those arrested so far, Sawant said in the state Assembly.

He was responding to a question tabled in the House by Leader of the Opposition Digambar Kamat, who said that an increasing number of Goans were being arrested for drug peddling in the coastal state.

In response, Sawant said, "We are yet to identify the main supplier of drugs, but are trying to find him. The anti- narcotics cell is investigating the matter."

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He said mainly contrabands like 'charas' and 'ganja' were being smuggled into Goa from neighbouring states.

"These drugs (weeds) are not cultivated in Goa. The anti-narcotic cell registered only one case where a banned product was found to be cultivated in the state," the chief minister, who also holds the Home portfolio, said.

He said several Goans, in the age group of 20 to 35 years, were arrested in various cases drug peddling, "which is alarming".

"They (Goan youth) get into it to make little money and then fall into bigger trouble," he said, adding that the anti-narcotics cell was keeping a close watch on the drug trade in the state.

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