MECHANISM OF PEDDLING WITHIN THE COUNTRY

PANAJI: Kulu-Manali in Himachal Pradesh and Goa are thousands of kilometres
apart, but that does not stop the mountain resort in the north from getting
connected with the coastal state when it comes to seeking pleasure from
smoking charas and ganja.

Police interrogation of five persons from Kulu-Manali has revealed a
systematic pattern of transfer of the derivates of huge cannabis crop grown
illegally in the remote fields of Kulu region. The report says around the
month of October when the crop is harvested in the hilly regions, it is very
cold and there is snowfall. But around this time until December hordes of
foreign tourists start pouring into Goa during Christmas and New Year
celebrations.

While some foreign tourists carry along with them drugs for their personal
consumption, young people from the north visit popular destinations of
foreign tourist spots in the country. Pushkar in Rajashtan, Haridwar and
Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Poona and Mumbai in Maharashtra, Hampi in
Karnataka and Goa provide the market for a good price.

The charas which is procured in the Manali market by the locals as well as
foreigners with the price ranging between Rs 2,000 and Rs 10,000 per
kilogram, is sold between Rs 40,000 and Rs 60,000 per kilogram depending on
the quality of charas and the customer's profile.

Police interrogation further revealed that the accused normally travel from
Kulu-Manali to Delhi by bus. From Delhi they come to Goa either directly by
a train or via Poona, which is well connected by bus to Goa. They live in
innocuous hotels or in ordinary lodges in Mapusa, Panaji and Margao town
giving fake names and addresses, mostly of Delhi. From these hotels, they
visit coastal belt in search of prospective buyers, mostly foreigners. At
times not able to find good customers they even dispose of the charas to the
local people at a price ranging between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000 and return
to Kulu-Manali for making another trip.