Pubdate: Mon, 10 Oct 2005
Source: Trinidad Express (Trinidad)
Copyright: 2005 Trinidad Express
Contact:  http://www.trinidadexpress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1093
Author: Richard Charan
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)

MORE DRUGS MAY BE MISSING

The cocaine found in New Grant that was eaten by "human rats" while 
in the custody of police, may not be the only drug haul that went 
missing in 2000, the Express has learnt.

In another batch of cocaine found on Trinidad's South coast in August 
2000, some also vanished, sources said.

The missing cocaine issue will be brought up in a High Court case in 
San Fernando, due to be called before year's end.

The case involves three men who were held with more than 20 kilograms 
of cocaine around the time blocks of cocaine began floating ashore 
after a mysterious incident involving a Guyanese fishing vessel out at sea.

A source close to the case told the Express that a substantial amount 
of cocaine never made it to the courtroom. And the people involved in 
the theft sold the cocaine to drug pushers.

There was a race back in 2000 between police, thieves, and members of 
the public trying to get to the cocaine first.

All that is needed to prove a cocaine trafficking case, in which the 
maximum penalty is a life sentence, is the possession of 100 grams of cocaine.

A high level investigation led by Senior Superintendent Nadir 
Mohammed is underway into how 32 kilograms of cocaine, seized during 
a raid near the home of a New Grant couple on August 22, 2000 
disappeared before the case reached the High Court.

Both accused were found not guilty and trial judge Herbert Volney 
accused the police of being the "human rats" who stole the cocaine to 
enrich themselves or used it to set up and blackmail innocent people.

Volney asked that Director of Public Prosecutions Geoffrey Henderson 
consider dropping all cocaine trafficking cases between 2002 and 2005.

Several detectives and an Assistant Superintendent of Police have 
been questioned in connection with the theft.
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