Case studies: Operation Tiberius uncovers corruption in the Met

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Importing heroin

One corrupt detective chief inspector who was identified by Tiberius sold his car to a known criminal, who was also a protected informant. The deal had been arranged by another corrupt officer – the informant’s handler – who was identified by Tiberius as “raping, blackmailing and encouraging the informant to facilitate the importation of heroin”.

The report does not identify any action taken by the Met against the serving officer for his behaviour.

Destroying evidence

The trial of a man who was charged with drug trafficking offences collapsed after the disappearance of two crucial surveillance logs which, the report claims, were removed by two detective sergeants. Tiberius said each defendant “paid £15,000 into a fund to pay for the police officers to destroy the logs”.

Analysis of phone records by Tiberius showed contact between one of the detective sergeants and a named former detective superintendent – who was in charge of the original anti-corruption investigation into the missing logs.

Colluding with criminals

On another occasion, when detectives raided the home of a “high-echelon criminal” believed by police to be involved in the “importation and distribution of controlled drugs” in east London, they found a five-page computerised printout that, it is claimed, indicated two serving Met police officers were in his pay.

During the inquiry, an investigating officer was approached by a corrupt colleague who had worked out the target and told him not to pursue the suspected drug dealer as he was a “nice fella” and was expecting a big “security contract”. He stated: “If you don’t touch him he’ll help you.”

One year later Essex Police began a separate inquiry into the same suspected drug dealer after receiving intelligence that he was importing drugs and distributing them in nightclubs. The investigation began examining the stabbing of a man at a club in February 2001 – an attack that was thought to be linked to the alleged drug dealer.

According to the report, the same corrupt police officer then called the investigating Essex officer, who recalled: “He told me that bad people go to the club and asked if I knew who they were.”

Tiberius noted the corrupt police officer also had an “ongoing sexual relationship with a female drug supplier” and was accessing police intelligence on her behalf.