Bribe offered by police `to spot drugs'

A group of police allegedly involved in drug dealing offered a bribe to an
officer in the Victoria Police air wing to spot a large marijuana crop that
could be stolen and sold, an internal investigation has found.

Documents obtained by The Age show that although the offer of the $10,000
bribe was substantiated, no action was taken against the officer.

Inquiries into other members of the group, who were alleged to have stolen
drug crops from the back yards of private homes and sold them, were blown
when one of them was tipped off.

According to the results of the internal investigation, the attempt to
bribe an officer in the air wing was made in January 1996. The officer was
told that a flight crew would be paid the $10,000 "if they informed him
when a large drug crop was located".

"Payment would be made two months after the crop was located," the internal
documents state. "The members had previously stolen drug crops located in
the back yards of private homes and sold them."

The report, however, concluded that "insufficient evidence was obtained to
establish a prima facie case of conspiracy to traffick in drugs".

After discussions with senior police it was decided not to lay disciplinary
charges.

The documents show the decision was based on the fact that a key source,
while willing to give evidence in criminal proceedings, was not prepared to
risk reprisals for cooperating in a disciplinary hearing.

The policeman who was found to have offered the bribe was related to an
official at the Victorian ombudsman's office, which oversees internal
police investigations.

The ombudsman, Dr Barry Perry, said yesterday the official had immediately
declared a conflict of interest and played no role in the inquiry.

Five police from the western suburbs were targeted in the inquiry, which
also looked at allegations that members of the group made corrupt
approaches to other officers to allow drug crops to be grown.

One was alleged to have planned to plant a marijuana crop on his own
country property. This allegation, together with allegations that two of
the group made corrupt approaches to other police to allow marijuana crops
to be grown were "unable to be determined".

An allegation that another officer was selling drugs and stolen goods
through a country hotel was "unfounded".

The police investigation into the group lasted almost five months, but in
May 1996, one of the allegedly corrupt officers received an anonymous
letter "advising him that he was under investigation".

A separate inquiry was then mounted into the leak.

The investigation included telephone taps, electronic and covert video
surveillance and flights over suspect properties to take photographs.
During one telephone conversation, one of the group indicted he knew his
telephone was being tapped.

While under surveillance, one of the group was followed while driving
around the western suburbs in an unmarked police car with a detective from
a crime squad.

It was suspected that the two were looking for a backyard drug crop.

When questioned, the two said that they were on official police business,
but had forgotten their street directory.

The Victoria Police deputy media director, Mr Kevin Loomes, said last night
there had been insufficient evidence to lay criminal charges after the
investigation by the ethical standards department.

"The file was referred to the ombudsman, who agreed with the decision of
the Victoria Police, subject to further information becoming available.

"If further evidence is forthcoming, the matter will be pursued."