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NEWS: The Age 12 May 03: Drug squad detectives 'sold heroin to dealers'

BigTrancer

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Drug squad detectives 'sold heroin to dealers'
May 12 2003
By John Silvester


Victoria Police are investigating allegations that two drug squad detectives sold high-grade heroin to narcotics dealers in Melbourne during a heroin epidemic that claimed a record number of lives.

In 1999, there were 359 heroin-related deaths, up from 268 the previous year.

The heroin was allegedly stolen during a series of police raids on Asian drug dealers over 18 months in 1999 and 2000. It is also claimed the detectives stole cash during the raids.

An Ethical Standards Department taskforce, codenamed Ceja, investigating allegations of corruption in the drug squad, is examining claims the detectives effectively ran their own drug-trafficking syndicate.

The detectives, no longer with the drug squad, were suspended last year when suspected of criminal activity during a heroin investigation.

One of the detectives was allowed to remain in the drug squad even though he had previously been investigated for corruption and disciplined for misbehaviour.

In a previous investigation, drug dealer Tom Scarborough claimed in 1999 that he had bribed detectives. He told police he had paid a group of detectives about $40,000 for protection and $20,000 for heroin seized in a police raid. He alleged that at least three detectives were involved in drug dealing and had accepted bribes. One was later dismissed after unrelated allegations of assault and robbery, the second resigned and the third is now suspended as part of the Ceja investigation.

Internal investigators recommended the third detective be charged with disgraceful conduct, but he was later disciplined over the less serious internal offence of being involved in an unauthorised operation and failing to keep appropriate records. He was fined $350 and allowed to return to work with the drug squad.

Scarborough claimed that after a lunch with the detectives he withdrew $5000 from a bank in Toorak Road as part payment of an $8000 bribe.

Two serving and one former drug squad detective are now facing drug-trafficking charges. More arrests are expected as part of the Ceja investigation.

The Ceja taskforce began by examining a unit in the drug squad that infiltrated amphetamine syndicates, but is now looking at all squad operations. At least 15 of the state's most serious drug cases have been adjourned indefinitely until allegations against police who may be called to give evidence have been investigated.

Assistant commissioner for ethical standards Noel Perry said any allegations of inappropriate work practices and criminal behaviour would be properly investigated. He said it was inappropriate to comment on specific elements of the investigation.

Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon scrapped the drug squad in December 2001 and replaced the unit with the major drug investigation division. Ms Nixon said police with poor disciplinary records or who had a suspicious history of complaints would not be accepted in the revamped division.

She has also introduced a series of anti-corruption measures, including limited tenure at the division and a ban on promotion in the drug unit.

Ms Nixon has been told the Ceja taskforce has found that allegations of corruption in the old drug squad are more widespread than previously thought.

From: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/05/11/1052591677227.html

BigTrancer :)
 
What would you think if it was high quality ecstasy pills instead of herion that the cops were selling? Is it the action of selling 'drugs' or is it that is was herion??
 
Old Goddamned Chestnuts...

"Power Corrupts".

Its interesting though, I suppose a lot of the reason that these police get off largely free is that the vast majority of people who COULD bring evidence against them are criminals, and as such, the majority of what they say could be fairly easily discredited. Society also does rely on a certain trust of the police as being less corruptable and more upright than most citizens, though this is often misjudged. Not that police are more corrupt than your average joe, its just that they get more opportunity, and they're held up as being less corrupt.

-plaz out-
 
Imagine you make 30 grand a year, and bust some dude who's making 5-20x that every week in relatively untraceable cash... tell me the temptation isn't there to stick a few bundles away for your kids trust fund or something, nobody will EVER find out, surely... police are as human as anyone I reckon.

BigTrancer :)
 
What makes me sick is that the police who deal will continue to bust dealers and put them behind bars, which to me looks like the ultimate form of hypocrisy and corruption from a government body whom we as the public are supposed to trust.
 
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money isn't worth the plastic its printed on if you can't use it to the fullest. for guys making that amount of money, how are they meant to live a normal life? in this era of plastic and credit, they would have difficulties owning property, cars, etc...

i can only see two ways of them being able to do this.

1) Laundering- this is very expensive. normally around 60% (according to the ABC anyway!)

2) putting it in someone elses name. however, this then opens the door for that person to fuck them over. of course if they do, they prolly won't live to tell the tale, but...

my point is the numbers are insignificant, if it doesn't equate to being practically accessible.

...of course, i might be wrong.
 
That question has always bugged me, how do dealers end up buying cars, houses and shit without losing all their money ? Does anyone know ?
 
Well sometimes they do lose it, often in fact. But the smart ones launder money thru businesses with high cash turnover, such as nightclubs, restaurants etc.

60% seem a but high, I'd talk to your "accountant" if you were getting stung that much ;) But seriously laundering does take a chunk out of operating profits for black market busniesses, often more than would be paid in tax if it were legitimate income. But as I said before for a lot of this cash there is still tax being paid, as it is appearing to actually be legitamate income.
 
For interests sake, the 60% figure was taken from a doco. about gambling junkets operating in the south pacific, that laundered triad money. they would go and bet the cash at casinos (professionally) which in effect legitimised it. there is abit more to it than that, but thats the basic idea...
 
The greatest area of police hypocrisy has got to be drink driving. A warrant card is the great bag-bypass for the non-politicians out there. Any observer of police functions, parties/BBqs etc will have seen the wobbly-bobby cheerfully meandering home behind the wheel. Even sometimes with a 'on-duty' escort just to make sure they get home safely ! Cars dont become safe,soft, and absorbent just because of a commonwealth badge !
The greater percentage of the population consume alcohol compared to illicit drugs. This is what makes the hypocrisy so large. The excuse that they "are only human" (which only seems to apply to police and politicians) when the law is bent or broken is not good enough in this case. They say its easy... dont drink and drive ! there should be a zero tolerance for then when behind the wheel, same as any other professional driver. Everyone knows a cop is NEVER OFF DUTY. The penalties for police dd should be severe indeed.
Having said all this, the police should be on bloody good money. One, for the job they do. and secondly, to help remove the temptation to take money, deal drugs, etc to make ends meet.
If pure greed is the motivation then they should go down hard.

But we dont live in an ideal world where ppl are nice and fair and care for their fellow beings (how can it be... we are only human!!) ;)
We always have and always will live in a multi-tiered society.
More bread....less shit !!!
 
bt: ;)

timmy: Ahhh, casino laundering! Fair enuf then. Actually even then it's a little high, as casino generally give an 80% return, but then I guess it is a lot easier to launder huge sums on low return games such as roulette and card games, than it is to put it all thru the pokies (87 percent) ;)

Crown casino was the biggest gift the Victorian governent could have given the black economy. See here, here, here, and on and on...
 
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Laundering money is alot simpler than it is made out to be. There are several ways to do it:

The two most common ways are:

1) Gambling - Syndicates launder money through gambling, usually at casinos. The objective is to lose approximately 40% overall. Over a long period of time at a casino, if you continually place the same bets with the same amounts on a game such as Baccarat (which has a small house edge of just over 3%) you will not actually lose that much money. When you win an amount which a Casino would prefer to pay by Cheque, that amount is now legitimised. You then withdraw this money, bundle it in with other illegitimate money and continue the process. In Melbourne at Crown Casino the 'Heroine King' laundered approximately 350 million dollars in two years with this method. Of course, he had 20+ people doing it for him.

Note: No tax has to be paid on this money as gambling profits are tax free (as the cash you are using to gamble is supposedly already taxed).

It is for this reason that they introduced the $10,000 rule. Every financial transaction over $10,000, whether it be from a financial or gambling insitution is automatically subjected to an internal investigation. To quarrel this problem, syndicates take cheques in amounts less than $10,000. (The minimum a casino will usually give as a cheque is $5,000).

2) Through small businesses - The most common is a fruit shop (or a business with a high margin). The fruit is bought very cheap. Most transactions at a fruit shop are done with cash. The owner of the shop buys a significant amount of stock and it is put through the books as being sold as cash. This is nearly completely untracable as the cash they are using was once in the pockets of someone who paid tax on that money! The majority of the stock is then thrown out but on the shop's books it is put down as sales.

Note: Income tax has to be paid on this money.



Syndicates do lose money through both methods in some way. However, high earning Australian's lose 48% of part of their income!

You do the maths.

- Brettles
 
I may be WAYY of here but brettles seems to be a new member here..... I think he registered a new name to post that info :) . Anyhow, could be wrong

As for the content FARKN exelect thanks for the info. (Not that im planing on starting any laundering syndicats in the next few years) hehehe
 
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