Gossip prompted probe

Press, 13 April 1978, Page 7

Gossip prompted probe

PA Wellington! J Gossip in criminal circles , jhad led to a police in- ■ j vestigation into the possi-! •jbility that an Auckland ■! policeman is involved in jsome way with drug-dealing r circles. i Investigation® a' the same ■ time are being made into the] ' disappearance of cannabis! ! from a security box and the! : theft of money from the! Auckland Central Police Sta-j ; lion. The Deputy Commissioner] of Police (Mr R. J. Walton) said there was no evidence ' yet to indicate whether there j was any truth in the talk ! about the policeman. However, it was departmental policy for rumours lof this nature to be fully injvestigated. ; “The loss last October of! I a quantity of cannabis from] I a security cabinet in thej jAuckland drug squad office', j is also under investigation,”! said Mr Walton. “The drug! !had been a court exhibit -and) jwas held pending destruc-| | tion.” The matter was being in-i jvestigated by Detective] Chief Superintendent B. Wil-! kin Son, but he had not yet! I established how or by-whom j i the drug was removed. Steps jhad been taken to prevent a| (repetition of this. I