Drugs detective charged in bust
By JOHN SILVESTER
Tuesday 31 July 2001
Internal police investigators believe they have uncovered a corrupt cell within the drug squad responsible for running its own drug syndicate.
Ethical Standards Department police have arrested five men - including a detective sergeant - and seized 55,000 ecstasy tablets, valued at $3 million.
The detective sergeant, 48, was arrested in a Caulfield park on Sunday night after a seven-month investigation into the squad.
The investigation centres on allegations that detectives:
- Sold banned chemicals to drug manufacturers for amphetamine production.
- Bought cocaine from a syndicate.
- Sold ecstasy and amphetamines to a Melbourne-based crime group.
- Set up their own private company to launder drug profits.
A taskforce arrested the detective sergeant in a sting operation and later seized 55,000 green ecstasy tablets at a St Kilda motel. He was charged with two counts of drug trafficking and suspended without pay. Three other men, including an Israeli national, were also charged. A fifth will be charged on summons.
Police also seized Australian and US cash, firearms and explosives. More arrests are expected.
The taskforce was set up after an internal audit into the legitimate purchase of chemicals by the drug squad for undercover operations. The audit allegedly found a large number of unauthorised purchases by a small group of detectives last year. Internal investigators believe the chemicals were resold to amphetamine manufacturers. It is believed that the chemicals could be distilled into five kilograms of pure amphetamine.
One member of the drug squad under investigation went on sick leave in early June. Another resigned abruptly just before Christmas although he had not secured a job.
Assistant Commissioner (Crime) George Davis said police would discuss with the Ombudsman whether a review of the drug squad was needed. "The enormous amount of money available to high-level drug traffickers and the potential that has to corrupt is a significant problem," he said.
Mr Davis said he had confidence in the squad. "Detectives from the drug squad have been selected because of their high integrity and they continue to demonstrate strong ethical character."
In January, 1997, police discovered that the squad's St Kilda Road offices had been burgled and confidential files on an amphetamines investigation had been stolen.
The stolen files related to investigations into Australia's biggest amphetamines dealer, John William Samuel Higgs. The theft also revealed details on one of the drug squad's top informers, a man codenamed E2/92.
An internal investigation, codenamed Sentinel, failed to gather sufficient evidence to charge those suspected in the burglary.
Last year a former drug squad senior detective, Kevin Hicks, was sentenced to a minimum of four years in prison for stealing chemicals seized in police raids.
From:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/state/2001/07/31/FFXNNTW4RPC.html
