The ED team from Karnataka landed in Goa on Wednesday and started conducting searches at an offshore casino vessel in Panaji in the evening, sources said
Enforcement Directorate officials who had come to Goa to conduct a raid at an offshore casino vessel had to request assistance from the state police on Thursday after allegedly facing resistance from the casino staff, sources said.
According to police sources, some casino security staff assumed that they were conmen impersonating ED officers.
The ED team from Karnataka landed in Goa on Wednesday and started conducting searches at an offshore casino vessel in Panaji in the evening, sources said. The raid involved questioning staff and examining documents and financial transactions.
“During the raid, the casino staff obstructed and stopped ED officials from conducting the searches. Some of the casino’s security assumed that some conmen were posing as ED officials and trying to dupe them. This led to an argument between them,” a senior police officer said on condition of anonymity.
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Police sources said that on Thursday afternoon, the ED team asked the local police for assistance, following which a team from Panaji police station was sent to the offshore vessel.
“Assistance was immediately provided, and the raid continued,” said the police officer.
No complaint has been received in this regard so far, police said.
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In October last year, the ED raided several casinos in Goa as part of a money laundering investigation into fraudulent financial activities worth crores of rupees. The searches were carried out by the ED’s Kerala unit.
Goa has six offshore casinos on vessels stationed on the Mandovi River and 11 onshore casinos. The industry is a source of employment and a big revenue earner, with the turnover of each offshore casino estimated to be at least Rs 100 crore annually.
