Goa police nab drug peddler; seize more gold than drugs

PANAJI - The Goa police Wednesday claimed to have arrested an alleged drug peddler and recovered drugs worth Rs.4 lakh but also got an unexpected bonus — they seized gold worth nearly Rs.7 lakh from him.

The suspect was arrested from Anjuna in North Goa. Incidentally, at the time of the arrest, the peddler Sadanand Chipmaker, 37, a shack owner from Anjuna was wearing 402 gm of gold ornaments valued at nearly Rs.7 lakh — Rs.3 lakh more than the value of the drugs seized from him, a press release issued by the police department said.

The raid was conducted outside a popular nightspot near Anjuna beach run by a top politician’s aide.

Superintendent of Police (anti narcotics cell) Veenu Bansal told reporters that ecstasy tablets, LSD liquid, cocaine and MDMA powder, together worth about Rs.4 lakh, were seized from the accused in the raid.

“At the time of dealing with a customer during the wee hours, the accused while being arrested in this case was wearing gold ornaments weighing 402 gm worth Rs.6.9 lakh,” Bansal said, adding that the ornaments were seized too.

The police also seized a significant amount of foreign currency from the peddler in course of the raid.

“We are going to write to the competent authorities to seize his properties under section 65 of the Nacotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) act. All of his proceeds sourced from drug money will be attached,” Bansal said.

This is the second raid conducted by the Goa police within a week of the state Home Minister Ravi Naik claiming that there was absolutely no drug trade in Goa.