NT Reporter
Margao/Canacona
In four raids, police have seized drugs worth Rs 1.2 crore in Canacona and arrested several persons, including Deepy Singh, a native of Uttar Pradesh with 431 grams of charas, Arun K M, a Kerala native with 13.5 grams of charas worth Rs 1.35 lakh, Denniez Fernandes, also from Kerala with MDMA, cocaine and charas worth Rs 5.25 lakh, and a Nigerian national, Onyecholem Friday, with 219.9 grams of cocaine worth Rs 1.10 crore.
“AThe four cases are interconnected. Police have seized drugs worth Rs 1.2 crore, with three of the four seizures involving commercial quantities,” South Goa SP Tikam Singh Verma told reporters.
Police are probing the source of the drugs, said Verma, adding that cocaine is sourced from outside the state. “We are also investigating the source of funds used to procure the narcotics,” he said.
On Wednesday, police intercepted the Nigerian national, near a starred hotel at Rajbagh, where he was allegedly caught red-handed in illegal possession of 219.9 grams of cocaine valued at Rs 1,09,95,000 in the international market.
Police said the accused had arrived on a two-wheeler to deliver the drugs to prospective customers.
On Tuesday, police intercepted Walter Fernandez, 49, a native of Kerala and a tourism business operator on the Canacona coast for the past two decades, and seized narcotic drugs worth Rs 5,25,200 from his possession. Fernandez temporarily resided at Chapoli, Canacona.
Canacona police said the MDMA weighing 24.4 grams, charas weighing 111.2 grams and cocaine weighing 3.4 grams were recovered from a high-end SUV and were allegedly meant for delivery to a prospective customer.
All narcotic substances and vehicles used for the illegal activity were seized under a search-cum-seizure panchanama.
All accused have been placed in police custody for further interrogation.
Replying to another question on the death of BITS Pilani student, Verma said the investigation is pending as the forensic science laboratory report is awaited, based on which further action will be taken. He said a detailed report on the deaths of six students would be prepared after receiving all FSL reports, which vary in each case.
