PANAJI
Is Goa in danger of turning into another Mexico, with its frequent gun battles between rival drug lords and cartels? While these fears may be a little exaggerated, the Oct 30 gruesome murder of a Nigerian national, Obodo Uzoma Simeon, in a north Goa village, has exposed the fractious ties between various drug cartels operating in the northern part of the state.
With its reputation as a party hotspot, Goa’s drug scene has been growing unchecked, and given its strategic coastal location, it’s also a transit point for drugs in demand, including cocaine, charas, ganja and chemical drugs which are gaining in popularity. Sources allege that Simeon’s murder is connected to the Nigerian cartel, new on the scene and reportedly at loggerheads with the local gangs over territories.
Gang members from the African countries deal in cocaine while staying in rented houses close to popular beaches. Most transactions are done over the phone. Because the tourist numbers from African countries in Goa aren’t high, they’re peddling on local turf.
Full report here Times of India
