COCAINE THEFT FROM POLICE RAISES SECURITY CONCERNS

The Drug Had Been Held In Riverside To Be Used In A Reverse Sting Operation.

The drugs, about $3.2 million worth of cocaine, first came into police
custody in Anaheim four years ago.

Where the drugs are now is anybody's guess.

In July 1997, someone broke into the Riverside office of the California
Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement and stole the cocaine. It was believed to be
the largest heist of illegal drugs in police custody in state history.

The cocaine had been moved from Anaheim to be used in a reverse sting
operation — bait to catch larger drug dealers.

But security at the Riverside office was poor, according to interviews with
law-enforcement investigators, state administrators and state reports that
provide details about the heist.
- - There were no surveillance cameras or 24-hour security guards at a
location where millions of dollars worth of illegal drugs are kept.
- - A card key system, designed to track the movements of personnel from room
to room, was not working at the time of the break-in.
- - The special agent in charge, Edward Synicky, had no idea how many people
had keys to the evidence room.
- - Security guards were hired after the theft and a surveillance camera was
installed. Three months later, however, the camera was stolen and not
reported missing to the agency's Sacramento headquarters.
- - Chief George J. Doane said the state narcotics enforcement agency he has
run since 1986 is upgrading its security at all its offices.

"We used this incident in Riverside as a wake-up call to re-examine our
security level at all of our regional offices," Doane said. "We're hoping
the incident we had there will be a teaching process."

But Anaheim police officials say they are disheartened that the drugs ended
up back on the street after the department seized the cocaine in a 1994
sting operation that spanned three counties.

"If we had any idea that the drugs would not have been taken care of, they
wouldn't have been sent out that way," Sgt. Joe Vargas said.

In Anaheim, the drugs were much more secure. The city police keeps its
evidence vault under surveillance 24 hours a day, Vargas said. Access to
the vault is limited to four people.

Checked-by: Patrick Henry