TWO OFFICERS ARRESTED ON DRUG CHARGES

Two Opa-locka police officers surrendered to the FBI Wednesday, one to face
charges that he repeatedly ripped off crack dealers and resold their drugs
for his own profit, the other for stealing guns from a department evidence
locker and local drug dealers.

Officer Robert C. Kukowinski, 38, of Weston, was detained by federal agents
on June 7 after buying crack cocaine and charged this morning at U.S.
District Court in Fort Lauderdale.

Kukowinski's partner, Officer William B. Booker, 35, of Fort Lauderdale,
was detained on June 10 and charged this morning.

According to court records, the investigation started in January after
Opa-locka police officials informed the U.S. Attorneys Office about
repeated citizen complaints that Kukowinski was frisking known drug dealers
and residents and removing their money and drugs without making arrests or
writing reports.

One cooperating witness with a lengthy criminal history told Kukowinski
when certain dealers were holding drugs and the officer, in uniform and on
duty, would steal their drugs and money without placing them under arrest,
the FBI said. According to the witness, Kukowinski would give him the
stolen drugs for resale and they would split the profits on a 50-50 basis.

Another witness, identified as a prostitute, drug user and ex-girlfriend of
Kukowinski, told the FBI that she smoked crack with Kukowinski on several
occasions. The woman told agents Kukowinski sometimes came home from work
with crack and marijuana that he said he stole from the police evidence locker.

FBI surveillance agents tailed Kukowinski to the home of a Miramar drug
dealer. Agents raided the home on June 6 and the resident, who had prior
arrests for cocaine possession, told them that Kukowinski bought drugs from
him.

Agents arranged for the dealer to sell Kukowinski $100 worth of crack on
June 7.

Kukowinski was detained and admitted buying the drugs from the Miramar
dealer. He also told agents that he and Booker illegally entered the police
department evidence room sometime in 2000; Kukowinski said he stole crack
and his partner took a TEC-9 handgun.

Kukowinski also told agents that he purchased 700 rocks of crack from his
partner sometime in 2001.

According to the complaint, Booker is also accused of keeping a Colt AR-15
assault rifle that was seized during the search of a drug dealer's
apartment sometime in 2001. The weapon was never checked into evidence.