Drugs have been the bane of Goa’s tourism industry and detrimental to our youth and locals. The back to back drug cases in the state of Goa has recently unveiled the horrifying path the state is veering towards. To nip this menace at the source the ANC and police have taken several measures. On the spot, preliminary narcotic detection test kits are now the latest addition but will this help to keep the drugs at bay?
Plagued by a drug menace that seems to be escalating especially along the coastal belt, Goa’s Anti-Narcotics Cells and Goa Police have been kept on their toes. In what is the latest measure to tackle the problem, the Panjim Police have now been outfitted with preliminary tests kits to identify drugs seized in narcotic raids, on the spot.
According to a Times of India report, the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) at Verna has procured 18 preliminary narcotic detection test kits which have been handed over to the police.
Speaking to the Times of India, a senior police official informed, that police using these kits will now be able to ascertain the type of drug seized during a raid. The kits are being distributed to police stations and anti-narcotic cells (ANC). However, full-fledged testing of narcotic will be undertaken once the kits are tested at FSL Verna.
“This will enable police to expedite their investigations,” he added. Initially, FSL who had earlier initiated the process for testing narcotic substances in the State are currently being sent to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory, Hyderabad.
“At present drugs are being sent out of the State for chemical analysis which is a time-consuming process and hinders the investigation. Ganja and charas are being tested by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) while chemical drugs are being sent out of the State.
According to records, Goa police have seized ganja, methylenedioxy-methamphetamine ( MDMA), cocaine charas, lysergic acid diethylamide LSD Liquid, LSD Paper, heroin, amphetamine, ketamine and dimethyltryptamine (DMT) in drug-related cases.
The police official also pointed out that synthetic drugs are imported mainly by foreigners. “Such drugs are used in Goa during the peak tourist season when foreigners are in Goa,” he told TOI.
Cases of drugs being sold freely in Goa, particularly in vulnerable spots like educational institutions, rave parties, music festivals and the like are giving Goa the reputation of being a destination for narcotic consumption. With the latest kits in hand will the government continue to tackle and eradicate drug abuse all together?
