No information, hence no drug raids in Goa: Customs official

Customs officials in Goa have been unable to carry out anti-narcotics raids in the last two years because no one is coming forward with information on drug deals, state Customs Commissioner V.P.C. Rao said Monday.

Goa is one of the top narco-tourism destinations in the country. Narcotics activity reaches its peak among tourists and locals in December-January.

Asked why anti-narcotics raids carried out by the department have dried up, Rao said: "No one has been coming forward, even by fluke with information. You give us information, we will raid."

Rao told reporters at a press conference organised by the central government authority in Panaji that informers, who had access to the world of narcotics, had favoured police over customs officials in recent times when it comes to information about drug deals.

While the customs department had an anti-narcotics cell which had "one or two officers", Rao said that cracking down on drugs was not the chief mandate of his department.

"Police have to handle the threat," he said, adding that anti-narcotics operations carried out by customs only amounted to "supplementary effort".