22 Russians booked for working as illegal guides

Twenty seven foreigners, including 22 Russians, were booked in the past one-and-a-half-years for working illegally as guides in Goa's tourism-oriented coastal belt, according to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

Two independent flying squads, comprising police, traffic, tourism and transport department officials had also been set up to crack down on foreigners on tourist visas who were either working or conducting businesses illegally, according to documents tabled by the home ministry in the assembly Wednesday.

Parrikar, who also holds the home portfolio, said that apart from the 22 Russians, Ukrainian, Kazakh, Belarus and Lithuanian nationals were booked under the Goa Daman and Diu Tourist Trade Registration Act, 1982.

The issue of foreigners working illegally in Goa, especially in the travel and tourism sector, has been raised regularly in the legislative assembly over the past few years while several clashes between foreign nationals and locals have been reported in the coastal belt over tour and taxi businesses.