Daijiworld Media Network – Panaji

Panaji, Jun 26: In a bizarre yet alarming incident, Goa Police have arrested three individuals and detained a minor for attempting to smuggle narcotics into the high-security Central Jail in Colvale, North Goa, by tossing cannabis-filled balls over the compound wall.

The contraband — cleverly rolled into seven small balls — was discovered on Tuesday morning by vigilant jail security personnel. The balls were found in the passage area of the inner corridor, strategically located between two watch towers, police revealed.

Superintendent of Police (North) Rahul Gupta, addressing the media on Wednesday, stated that the seized substance weighed approximately 1.397 grams and is estimated to be worth Rs 1.4 lakh.

“Investigations suggest that four persons, including a juvenile, had flung the contraband into the jail premises during the early hours of Tuesday. They aimed to deliver the narcotics to inmates inside,” said SP Gupta.

The accused have been identified as Gautam Talwar, Samuel Pujari, and Jaffer Mulla, all residents of Mapusa in North Goa. A minor accomplice was also involved and has been taken into custody.

All four have been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and further investigations are underway to ascertain whether this was a one-off attempt or part of a larger drug trafficking operation linked to the prison network.

Authorities are now reviewing jail surveillance protocols and are likely to step up external perimeter security to prevent such breaches in future. The incident has raised fresh concerns about the growing menace of drug trafficking in Goa and its brazen links to even the most secure state institutions.