Thaindian News

Panaji, July 27 (IANS) Leader of opposition in the Goa assembly Manohar Parrikar said here Monday that MV River Princess, a cargo vessel which has beached off Sinquerim, is being used as a transit point for drugs.
Speaking during the monsoon session of the assembly, the former chief minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader alleged that sale of drugs in Goa was rampant and that the narcotics cartels were now using the beached ship for hoarding and disbursing drugs.

“The River Princess is being used for smuggling of drugs. It has now become a transit point for drugs. The police should take action on this,” Parrikar said.

The MV River Princess had grounded off Candolim beach back in 2000. Repeated state governments have been unable to haul the ship from the beach, despite the fast erosion of Candolim beach, which has been triggered by the ship’s looming presence.

Earlier Monday, legislator of the ruling Congress party Agnelo Fernandes also criticised the home department for allowing the adjoining renowned Calangute beach to be allegedly controlled by narcotics cartels from different countries.

Speaking in the assembly Monday, Fernandes alleged that drug cartels from Nigeria, Scotland, Israel and Russia had carved out independent pockets of influence in the popular coastal village of Calangute and said that even he felt threatened travelling in those places at night.

“There will be a time when we will not be allowed to enter these areas. It is already dangerous to go in the dark to these places. Even I feel threatened to go there in the dark,” he said.