Goa drugs case: Two more Anjuna club owners could be arrested by Hyderabad police

PANAJI: After arresting a high-profile restaurant and club owner and bulk drugs supplier, I Balmurugan, who ran three beach-side restaurants and a club at Anjuna in North Goa, the Hyderabad police have two more club owners from the same locality on their radar, who could be arrested any time, sources said.

On Thursday, the Hyderabad (Telangana) police arrested “one of the biggest drug dealers” who owns and runs three beach-side restaurants and 1-2 clubs in Anjuna and two more restaurants in North Goa and others in (Shimla) Himachal Pradesh and at Rajasthan, reports said.

His interrogation has led to two more names, including the name of one restaurant and club owner in Baga, all of whom are being investigated by the Hyderabad narco cops.

Anjuna Panchayat officials are silent on the drug peddling activities of the owners and managers of the clubs and restaurants in their jurisdiction, maybe because the ward members and panchas are paid handsomely each month.

They are not willing to share information regarding the properties, restaurants and clubs owned or operated by the arrested accused in spite of the fact that I Balmurugan is a known name in the Anjuna belt.

The Anjuna Panchayat members who were contacted by this reporter feigned ignorance on the presence and activities of Balmurugan in their locality, claiming they had never heard of him.

Balmurugan the drug dealer who was nabbed by the Hyderabad cops – reportedly on the confession of Curlies owner Edwin Nunes, has been arrested in the past for drug peddling and sale and has several cases registered against him for possession and sale of narcotics.

He was operating from the Anjuna-Vagator belt, supplying drugs to several clubs and restaurants in the locality.

Balmurugan has been actively involved in smuggling Marijuana, Hash Oil and Malana Cream from Manali, Kullu and other parts of Himachal Pradesh to Goa. This racket has been going on for the last 12 to 15 years, but neither the Anjuna Panchayat nor the Anjuna police station had taken any action against Balmurugan.

He was known for providing high-purity Manali ganja or cannabis in the coastal state and had more than 1800 regular outstation customers for the drug, who visited Anjuna from as far as Gujarat, West Bengal and Chennai to buy brownies and doobs or doobies from him, a Hyderabad police official said.

The Hyderabad police first arrested a drug peddler Pritesh Borkar a few months ago and then nabbed Hill Top club owner John Stephen D’Souza aka Steve, and a few others in Goa and Hyderabad. Edwin Nunes of Curlies was arrested next and his arrest led to the location of Balmurugan.