Pubdate: Tue, 01 Apr 2008
Source: Trinidad Express (Trinidad)
Copyright: 2008 Trinidad Express
Contact:  http://www.trinidadexpress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1093
Author: Denyse Renne

COPS 'IN CAHOOTS' WITH DRUG DEALERS

Probe Into Missing Marijuana, Cocaine

Investigators probing the disappearance of 28 blocks of  compressed
marijuana and four kilogrammes of cocaine  from the scene of a crime
are now in a quandary, having  received information that two police
officers were in  cahoots with drug dealers.

Investigators initially believed that the disappearance  of the drugs
came after the drug dealers fled the scene  after a shoot-out with
police in Maraval. However, new  information suggests that the drug
dealers were working  alongside a rogue senior officer in transporting
the  drugs to its destination.

Sources say one of the officers heads a special unit in  the North
Eastern Division (NED), while the other, a  constable with over 20
years service, is attached to a  unit in the Port of Spain Division.

The drugs were being transported by two drug mules on  March 26, and
were destined for Laventille Road, San  Juan. Sources say
investigations into the matter have  so far revealed that the drugs
entered Trinidad on  March 25 and were being kept in an area at Las
Cuevas.  Prior to the drugs arriving in Trinidad, a deal was  made
with the NED officer.

The deal, sources say, was that the officer receive  $7,500 to ensure
safe transportation of the drugs. This  meant the officer was to
inform the suspects if there  was a roadblock so they could avoid it.

However, sources said the payment was never made and  when the drugs
were being transported, members of a  tactical unit received a call
that drugs were leaving  the Las Cuevas area and got the description
of the car,  an Almera, which the suspects were driving.

Two teams of officers then positioned themselves in the  Maracas and
Maraval areas. Three constables who were  patrolling the Maracas area
spotted the car in the  vicinity of the Maracas look-out and signalled
for the  suspects to stop and they complied. However, as the
constables approached the suspects drove off.

Meanwhile, three other officers, a Cpl, WPC and PC Ryan  Duncan, were
conducting a road block exercise in the  vicinity of the Maraval
pillars, when they heard  several gunshots - which were coming from
the chase  between their colleagues and the drug mules. During the
exchange between the officers and the suspects, Duncan,  who has four
years service, received injuries to his  left hand and back and was
rushed to the Port of Spain  General Hospital by his colleagues, where
he was  treated and later discharged.

However, investigators say they received information  that while the
suspects were hiding, a marked police  jeep with three officers
attached to the Port of Spain  Division arrived and took the drugs
from the car trunk.

Sources say the suspects then called the NED senior and  told him what
they witnessed. The NED senior in turn  alerted a high-ranking officer
and related what  occurred.

One of the officers, a constable, with seven years  service was
detained shortly after the incident but was  released on Sunday.
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