Panaji: Police personnel who are bound to act against drug menace and gambling have come under the department’s scanner for consuming alcohol, drugs and involvement in gambling during duty hours at various police stations.
Goa police has decided to act against all such personnel who are involved in such activities that tarnish it’s image as a disciplined police force.
Superintendent of police (SP) (headquarters) Nelson Albuquerque in an internal note circulated among the SPs said, “It has been reported that now a days there is an increase in the number of alcohol and drug addicts among police officials, thus spoiling their physical as well as mental health.”
“Police stations/units, restrooms have become such a place that officers as well as lower staff consume alcohol and other drugs on duty and gambling is also a part of activities in police stations/units premises,” the SP said.
Albuquerque said he has asked all in charges of police stations and units to make a list of such personnel and submit to their SPs for necessary action in the matter.
“The district SP will pay surprise visit once a month and take action against such officials and personnel who are addicted to alcohol, drugs and gambling while on duty,” Albuquerque said. This has been brought to the notice of the director general of police (DGP), he said.
Nearly a decade after allegations of nexus between police, politicians and the drug ‘mafia’ rocked the state, in Oct 2022, a British peddler arrested for possession of narcotics alleged that he had paid “protection money” to police.
A Britisher, Stephen Slotwiner, 76, was caught in Pernem for illegal possession of drugs worth Rs 15 lakh. Based on his allegations — made during interrogation by senior officers — Goa police had suspended constables.
The issue of drugs, which has long been simmering beneath the surface, burst on to the spotlight in Sep 2022, when Hyderabad police alleged that their Goa counterparts don’t cooperate with them when it comes to cracking down on the menace. Then Hyderabad police commissioner C V Anand had said his team never received help from Goa police while probing drug cases that have a Goa connection.