Goa Police quizzed on nexus with drug mafia

Panaji, March 12 (IANS) The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has contacted the Goa Police over the alleged involvement of some of its officers with the narcotics mafia, state Chief Secretary Sanjeev Srivastava said Friday.

"The NCB has already contacted the Goa Police on the drugs issue," Srivastava told IANS.

The Goa government was concerned with the developments after two police officers were booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA) for their alleged ties with the narcotics mafia, he said.

The top official also said that the state home department had asked for a report from the police department on the status of the narcotics mafia in Goa in light of the recent arrest of two Israeli drug peddlers, Yaniv Benhaim alias Atala and David Driham alias Dudu.

The duo have named some police officers as being involved in the narcotics trade.

"Whatever is happening is bad. We have already asked for a report from the police department. We need to stop these things," Srivastava said.

Meanwhile police inspector Ashish Shirodkar who was booked for his alleged links with Atala has applied to a court here for anticipatory bail.

Five policemen, including Shirodkar have been suspended after a controversial video surfaced on www.youtube.com, which showed Atala naming Shirodkar and another policeman as the anti-narcotics sleuths involved in the drug trade.

A fortnight ago, following his arrest by the state anti-narcotics cell, Israeli drug peddler Dudu named police officers and journalists who were part of the narcotics mafia.