'GHOST SQUAD' UNCOVERS WEB OF POLICE CORRUPTION

Corrupt police officers and retired detectives have been working with major
drug dealers and armed robbers, netting them hundreds of thousands of
pounds, the Metropolitan Police revealed yesterday. Money has been found
hidden in offshore bank accounts, says Jason Bennetto, Crime Correspondent,
in what is one the biggest police scandals ever.

A secret "ghost" squad of anti-corruption officers, trusted former
detectives, ex-Ministry of Defence police, and financial experts, have been
covertly investigating Scotland Yard, it was disclosed yesterday.

The specialist team found that up to 250 officers, mostly senior detectives
working in some of the force's most prestigious squads, were involved in
major criminal activities. Serving and retired officers, up to the rank of
commander, are suspected of earning tens of thousands of pounds from bribes
and corruption, some by working with London's top crime gangs. Officers are
also accused of salting away illegal money for retirement nest-eggs.
Offshore bank accounts have been identified, some with more than £100,000
deposited.

The scale of the scandal, and the existence of the secret squad, were
revealed yesterday by senior sources at Scotland Yard. Its follows the
biggest anti-corruption operation ever mounted earlier this week, when
raids were carried out on the homes and offices of 19 serving and former
officers from the Flying Squad. Thirteen officers have so far been
suspended and inquiries are continuing.

Other suspects have attempted to avoid investigation by applying for early
retirement - which has been declined - while others are taking sick leave.

Sir Paul Condon, Metropolitan Police Commissioner , said earlier this month
that the vast profits from organised crime and narcotics meant officers
could take bribes of £50,000 or £80,000 to "subvert an individual job" or
to "recycle drugs".

The "ghost" squad, which is based at a secret location, was set up by Sir
Paul in 1993 with the backing of Michael Howard, the then home secretary,
to assess the scale of the problem. Jack Straw, the Home Secretary, has
also been consulted.

Only Sir Paul and a small number of senior officers knew about the elite
team because they did not know who to trust.

Many of the squad's several dozen staff were recruited from outside the
police, including private surveillance and accountancy experts.

The officers identified as corrupt are "some of our best detectives", said
a Yard source. He explained that they are very good at catching criminals,
but while off duty could seize drugs from a dealer and then get a rival
trafficker to re-sell them. Alternatively they could organise a robbery or
"cream off" the money recovered during an operation.

Officers could be paid £50,000 to £100,000 by criminals to destroy evidence
in a court case, added the source.

Networks of serving and retired police officers and villains have also been
uncovered. "What shocked some people was the arrogance of these people.
They believed their networks were so secure, no one could get at them,"
said the source.

The corrupt officers are extremely good at hiding their illicit wealth.
"There are people building up nice retirement eggs," said the source. Some
have offshore bank accounts of more than £100,000.

The majority of the suspected corrupt officers are among the specialist
units, such as the robbery and drug units, the South East Regional Crime
Squad, the National Criminal Intelligence Service, who have access to major
league villains and offences. Most are detectives with 10 to 25 years
experience and include senior ranks up to detective chief inspector. The
retired officers under investigation are up to commander rank.

A number of trials and convictions in which corrupt officers are involved
are expected to collapse or be quashed as a result of the current inquiry.

This week's raids concentrated on the Flying Squad offices at Rigg Approach
in north-east London, which now look likely to be disbanded. The
Metropolitan Police are setting up measures to try and ensure corruption
cannot flourish again.

Sir Paul believes that corruption has again become a problem as it was
largely ignored for more than a decade following the clear-out of more than
400 officers under Sir Robert Mark in the late Seventies and early Eighties
during Operation Countryman. While many more officers were involved in
those investigations, the amounts of money involved were tiny compared with
today's suspected hauls.