Mapusa: The calm of Korgao village in Pernem taluka has been disrupted as a series of drug-related cases reveal the alarming spread of narcotics into interior, non-touristic areas, particularly Pethechawada.
In the latest operation, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), with assistance from Pernem police, arrested a Belarusian national, Ina Volkova, from a rented room in Pethechawada, Korgao, on Thursday. Police seized 1.321 kilograms of DMT, a synthetic drug valued at approximately Rs 1 crore, during the raid.
Pernem police said the operation was carried out following specific intelligence inputs indicating that a foreign national was involved in drug smuggling activities in the area. The accused has been booked under relevant provisions of the NDPS Act, and further investigation is underway.
This seizure is part of a pattern of repeated drug busts in Pethechawada, pointing to the expansion of the drug trade beyond traditional commercial and tourist hubs into residential villages.
Earlier cases in the same area have heightened local anxiety, particularly over the targeting of students. In June 2025, police arrested Shivanand Gawade (28) of Parcem near the Tuem garbage treatment plant, seizing 732 grams of marijuana worth Rs 70,000, which police said was intended for sale to students near the Tuem ITI.
In September 2025, Deepak Kumar (38) was arrested after ganja and charas worth Rs 80,000 were found concealed in his scooter in Korgao. A follow-up raid at the same location led to the arrest of Nigerian national Joseph Osuagwu Kelechi (40), who had hidden drugs worth Rs 1 lakh in his scooter.
Earlier, in February 2024, Shubham Sharma (27) and Gopinath Harmalkar (25) were arrested with 2.5 kg of ganja, valued at around Rs 2.5 lakh, while transporting the contraband on a scooter for delivery.
Residents say the repeated arrests of both foreign and local drug peddlers confirm that the drug menace has taken root in the village. Parents have expressed serious concern that unchecked drug activity could soon severely impact students, mirroring the situation seen in Goa’s coastal belt.
