Most foreigners in Goa disappear after getting bail

Out of 583 foreign nationals booked for crime in Goa over the last five years, 333 went "underground" after getting bail, Deputy Inspector General of Police V. Gupta said on Friday.

A total of 208 of the 333 foreigners who went "underground" were Nigerians, said Gupta, who heads a police drive against foreigners linked to crime and staying for a long time in Goa.

The whereabouts of the 333 foreign nationals are not known, he told reporters here.

"This exercise is not specific to Nigerians. Our drive is general, against foreigners who come here, indulge in crime, and against those who go underground after committing crimes. We are trying to identify them and our attempt is to deport them according to procedure," he said.

Gupta said the drive was aimed at creating awareness amongst the general public, especially those locals who run small guest houses, which often host foreign nationals possessing dubious travel documentation.

The issue of foreigners staying on in Goa after commission of crimes was discussed in the monsoon session of the Goa assembly.

Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar has said a detention centre would be set up for foreign nationals awaiting deportation, so that their movements could be restricted until they are sent back to their countries.

Goa is one of the top beach tourism destinations in the country, which attracts nearly half a million foreign tourists, a small section of which visit the state on long-term visas.

--IANS

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