NEWS: The Age - 6/10/06 "Policeman arrested in drug swoop"

Policeman arrested in drug swoop

Dan Harrison
October 6, 2006 - 1:45PM

A policeman was among six people arrested this morning in a series of drug raids across Melbourne.

The 36-year-old senior constable from a Melbourne metropolitan station has been charged with 80 counts of trafficking in a drug of dependence, a police spokeswoman said. She said the man would also face an OPI charge of misconduct as a public official.

The man is currently being interviewed and is likely to face Melbourne Magistrates Court today, police said.

"During one arrest, a 36-year-old senior constable from a Melbourne metropolitan station was taken into custody,'' a police spokesman said.

The arrests were part of Operation Blackbird, which is a joint Ethical Standards Department and Office of Police Integrity investigation.

In a statement, OPI assistant director Graham Ashton said the arrests demonstrated the relationship between the OPI and ESD.

"This is an excellent example of the OPI and ESD working together.

"The support we have received from ESD has been excellent and demonstrates a commitment to the highest ethical standards and professional standards in the Victoria Police,'' he said.

Several other people arrested are also expected to be charged.

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Drug swoop cop in court
Dan Harrison
October 6, 2006 - 4:34PM

A policeman charged with 80 counts of drug trafficking has been remanded in custody to reappear in court on January 11.

Paul Anthony Hatzakortzian, 36, a senior constable from an unspecified Melbourne metropolitan station, was among six people arrested today as part of a series of raids across Melbourne.

Mr Hatzakortzian, whose address has been suppressed, faces 80 charges, including trafficking in a drug of dependence, namely ecstasy, and conspiracy to traffic in a drug of dependence. The alleged offences were committed in Newport and Melbourne between August 17 and October 1.

A police spokeswoman said the man would also face an OPI charge of misconduct as a public official.

In Melbourne Magistrates Court this afternoon, Mr Hatzakortzian did not apply for bail, but his lawyer Tony Hargraves asked Magistrate Phillip Goldberg to order special arrangements for the protection of his client while on remand.

Prosecutor John Sutton said there might be delays in preparing evidence because there were "a substantial number of telephone intercepts" .

Earlier, Office of Police Integrity and Victoria Police Ethical standards officers led Mr Hatzakortzian past a pack of television cameras and photographers and through the court's main entrance.

He was arrested this morning as part of Operation Blackbird, a joint Ethical Standards and OPI investigation.

In a statement, OPI assistant director Graham Ashton said the arrests were an example of the OPI and ESD working together.

"The support we have received from ESD has been excellent and demonstrates a commitment to the highest ethical standards and professional standards in the Victoria Police,'' he said.

Five other men arrested this morning will appear in court later today.
Mr Ashton said Operation Blackbird was ongoing and further arrests were likely.

The Office of Police Integrity was established in 2004 to detect and prevent police misconduct and corruption.

It drew criticism last month for holding a public hearing into allegations of brutality against members of the now-disbanded armed offenders squad.

theage.com.au and AAP

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Policeman faces 80 drug charges
Julia Medew
October 7, 2006

A MELBOURNE policeman who sold drugs through Sexpo exhibits while on leave from Victoria Police's sex offence and child abuse unit was one of six people arrested in drug raids yesterday, a court has heard.

Paul Anthony Hatzakortzian, 36, appeared briefly in the Melbourne Magistrates Court yesterday after being arrested during a joint Office of Police Integrity and Ethical Standards Department investigation.

He has been charged with 80 offences, including 64 counts of trafficking a drug of dependence, 15 counts of conspiring to traffic a drug of dependence and one count of trafficking ecstasy between August and October this year.

Detective Senior Sergeant George Tapai told the court that Hatzakortzian, who lives with a sex industry worker also arrested in yesterday's raids, had taken leave from his job this year to work as a promoter for Sexpo in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, where he sold drugs.

"Paul Hatzakortzian has made full admissions that he purchased the drugs and on-sold them to people he knew at the Sexpo exhibits," he said.

Sergeant Tapai said telephone intercepts of Hatzakortzian's phone since August 24 revealed he had been regularly dealing ecstasy, speed, cocaine, cannabis, and a methylamphetamine known as ice.

"Hatzakortzian has made in excess of 3200 calls, of which a large percentage were drug-related," he said. Hatzakortzian did not apply for bail yesterday, but his lawyer Tony Hargraves asked magistrate Phillip Goldberg to note that he was a policeman and needed to be protected in custody.

Hatzakortzian's house-mate, Suzanne Choppin, 44, a mother of two, faced nine charges of trafficking drugs and two of possessing a drug of dependence.

Their four co-accused also faced court yesterday on a range of drug-related charges.

Hatzakortzian and Choppin will appear in court again in January.

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