Goa police 'in drugs clampdown'

Scarlett was raped and left to die on a beach in Goa

Police in the Indian state of Goa say they have arrested at least 40 people in an operation against drugs dealers.

Drugs are easily available in Goa, which is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.

Local police have been heavily criticised for their handling of the death of British teenager Scarlett Keeling last month.

Police say the 15-year-old was drugged, raped and then left for dead on Goa's Anjuna beach.

A British man who saw her shortly before her death, Michael Mannion, is due to give evidence to the police.

So far two men have appeared in court in connection with Scarlett's death.

'Ruthless'

The head of police in Goa, Kishan Kumar, said the drive against drug dealers would be focused on the state's beaches.

I was told then by another local to stay away and not to say anything Michael Mannion Scarlett 'witness' tells story

"I will be ruthless, no one can take Goa for granted," he told the Reuters news agency.

"Anybody lurking in the beaches after midnight with suspicious intent will have to face lot of questioning from now on."

Goa's popularity as a tourist resort continues to grow. But the number of foreigners dying there is increasing too.

Official records show that a total of 61 foreign tourists died in Goa last year, one third of them British.

The police say most of these deaths appear to be related to drug use.