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On Fri, 14 Mar 2003, "vicki <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>" wrote: >From Deccan Herald/ March 14, 2003 3 convicted in London for smuggling new fad drug from Goa Ketamine concealed in rose water bottles Devika Sequeira DH News Service PANAJI, Mar 13 A pain-killer rarely prescribed here, some in the medical fraternity have not even heard of it. Ketamine, the new fad drug on the beaches of North Goa, is nonetheless the latest rage among hip Western tourists who frequent the rave party circuit in Goa. So much so, that large quantities of it is being smuggled directly from Goa into Britain, disguised as rose water, London police officers investigating the case, told 'Deccan Herald'. Three men have so far been convicted in London for illegally importing Ketamine into England. The latest sentence was awarded by the Kingston upon Thames Crown Court last week. Among those convicted is a British national Richard Widger, who was awarded an 18 month sentence, and Italian Marco Siddi, who has been given the maximum two-year term by the British court. Portuguese national Bruno Veiga was sentenced to a year's jail term for his role in the "conspiracy to import Ketamine into the UK". His conviction was handed out on March 7. The Ketamine being smuggled into England originated from the Anjuna Beach area, and was being cleverly packaged in 500 ml bottles of rose water, London police sources said. Ketamine suspends in rose water. "This is one of the first prosecutions in the U.K. for such offences, and the sentence given will hopefully send out the right message. We are led to believe there is a perception among the party people in Goa that Ketamine is legal in the U.K. This is not the case and many such prosecutions will follow," a British police source said. A team of police officers from London would be flying down to Goa soon to conduct more investigations, he said. An anaesthetic agent, prescribed ususally in post-operative care, Ketamine can produce hallucinations and a feeling of well-being, a doctor said. A 10 ml vial of the Ketamine Hydrochloride injection costs Rs 110 in Goa. But the drug's misuse by foreigners in Goa is common knowledge to pharmacists here. Two leading pharmacies in Panaji said they had stopped stocking Ketamine because they were being constantly "harassed" for the drug by foreigners. It has become one of the most abused drugs in Goa in recent times, they said. "We've stopped selling it, but pharmacies in Anjuna and Baga have huge stocks of it," said one pharmacist who at one time also stocked Ketamine in tablet form. According to a senior Goa police official once posted in the Anti-Narcotics Bureau, Ketamine has been "doing the rounds" in Goa's rave parties in the last two years. Those using it as a hallucinogen either put a few drops in the eyes for a "quick, short high", or inhale it by adding some drops to a cigarette. Because the drug is not included in the banned substances list of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, there is little the police can do if someone is caught with Ketamine. Its other advantage is that it is hardly detectable after being used, he said. The maximum sentence for smuggling a drug like Ketamine into the UK is two years. London police sources said they were hoping to convince their government to get Ketamine placed on the Misuse of Drugs Act 1968 Schedule, which would make convictions more stringeent. Copyright The Printers (Mysore) Pvt Ltd __________________________________________________________ Get your FREE personalized e-mail at http://www.canada.com _______________________________________________ Goanet mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.goanet.org/mailman/listinfo/goanet
