Now, Goa grapples with home-grown cannabis

MAPUSA: While Goa has always had its fair share of problems with drugs, particularly in the touristy coastal belts, the state is now grappling with a new trend of cannabis cultivation here itself.

October has kept the Goa police busy. Since 2017, the cops have made arrests of those who were found to be growing cannabis, the main ingredient for the production of popular drugs like charas and ganja. Numbers, though, were few and far between.
Now, nine cases have been reported in the last 365 days and four of the raids have happened this month itself. Interestingly, three of them were in the taluka of Pernem, bordering neighbouring Maharashtra.
According to sources, recent raids and seizures have shown cannabis plantations in special set-ups inside rented premises by foreigners. For those in villages of Keri, Palyem, Arambol, Mandrem and Morjim, this does not come as a surprise.
“Earlier, Goa was a consumption and transit point for drugs. Now, the state is more known for the…