Panaji, March 29 (PTI) Three persons have been arrested so far in connection with the recent recovery of Rs 11.67 crore drugs in Goa, and efforts are being made to track down the other members of the gang, police said on Saturday.
The drug racket was exposed after a Bengaluru native, Goutham M (26), was arrested at St Anthony Wado in the Mapusa area of North Goa on March 8.
Goutham was caught with a transparent polythene packet containing 11.67 kg of dried greenish fruiting tops (buds), suspected to be hydroponic weed (ganja), hidden in his rented room. Police said the contraband was worth about Rs 11.67 crore.
According to a press release by the Goa police, Goutham told the crime branch that a friend named Taslim, who is based in Bangkok, had offered him Rs 1 lakh to deliver a drug consignment from the Thai capital to India.
Further disclosures prompted the Goa crime branch to arrest one Shilna A from Bengaluru, the release said. Police identified her as a key member of the syndicate and said she used to coordinate with local suppliers, the release said.
During the investigation, police learnt that Sreejil P P, a resident of Kannur in Kerala, was the financial backbone of the gang and had booked international flight tickets for Goutham and other individuals suspected to be involved in the drug syndicate, the release said.
Sreejil was arrested in Kerala on March 19.
All three have told the police that the hydroponic weed was supposed to be sold in Goa, the release said.
A police spokesperson said that Look-out Circulars (LOC) and “Blue notices” have been issued against other members of the syndicate hiding in Thailand.
An LOC is a legal instrument used by law enforcement agencies to prevent a person from leaving a country, while a blue notice is issued to collect additional information about an individual’s identity, location or activities in relation to a criminal investigation. PTI RPS NR
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