Police corruption busters have nabbed a homicide squad detective for allegedly leaking secrets to organised crime gangs.
The detective senior constable was suspended this week.
His arrest followed an eight-month probe into his activities by the Office of Police Integrity.
The detective had been under surveillance for months and was allegedly observed meeting organised crime figures.
He allegedly provided confidential information in return for steroids. He is believed to have used some and sold others.
OPI investigators this week searched the homicide squad office in St Kilda Rd and removed material belonging to the detective. Officers from the Ethical Standards Department assisted in the search and the arrest.
The case has sent shockwaves through the homicide squad.
OPI investigators are trying to discover if the alleged corrupt activities of the detective jeopardised any investigations.
They are concerned about what the detective might have been expected to do in return for getting drugs.
The detective has allegedly been trading secret information to the criminals who allegedly supplied him with steroids.
Apart from facing possible drug charges, he may also be charged under section 127a of the Police Regulation Act, which relates to unauthorised disclosure of information and documents, and which carries a maximum jail term of two years.
A Victoria Police spokesman yesterday confirmed an officer had been interviewed in relation to the release of information and drug-related matters.
"No charges have been laid at this stage; however, the detective senior constable has been suspended with pay. This is an ongoing investigation, no further information will be released," he said.
An Australian Crime Commission report warned about increased steroid use, including by police officers.
"Users are body-building and gym enthusiasts, members of the gay scene, people in occupations requiring physical prowess (security guards and police)," its Australian Illicit Drugs report said.
Showing posts with label WildCat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WildCat. Show all posts
British Policeman tells court he started using steroids as a male contraceptive
A Police sergeant accused of dealing steroids to pals has told jurors he first started using the illegal drugs as a form of male contraception.
Northumbria officer Darren Towers is accused of bulk buying anabolic steroids to distribute to fellow bodybuilders and turning a blind eye to others who were dealing.
The former seaman, who spent time in the Royal Navy before joining the force, denies conspiracy to supply steroids and misconduct in public office. He is being tried by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court.
The 41-year-old, who was based in Sunderland, told jurors yesterday he first started using steroids in the late 1990s when his wife was having problems taking the contraceptive pill, but believed they were legal.
He said: “My wife was on the contraceptive pill and it caused issues for her, effects the pill was having.
“As a result of that, and things I had read in magazines, I was aware testosterone was being tried as a male contraceptive and I looked into that to see if it could be an option for me to use, instead of my wife.”
When asked by his barrister Julian Smith if he went on to use steroids as a contraceptive he said: “I did, yes.”
Towers said his research prompted him to believe steroids were legal to possess and import for personal use.
He stopped using the drugs as a contraceptive when he and his wife decided to start a family.
The court heard Towers joined the police in 1998 and “excelled” through his training.
Towers, who continued his bodybuilding and became a black belt in martial arts, told jurors he became the target of a criminal gang because of his work on the beat in Hendon, Sunderland.
He said he received personal threats from the Hendon Mad Dogs and was advised by his superiors to take steps, such as alternating his route home, to protect himself.
The officer was visibly upset as he told the court: “They were notorious within Sunderland for the crimes they were committing against people, so much so there was a task force set up to target these people.
“I was already involved in incidents, where I had arrested three people single handedly, and they started targeting me as an individual.”
Towers said on one occasion his hat was stolen in Hendon, put on top of a telegraph pole, and threats written in chalk of what was going to happen to him.
On another occasion a sign was put up in Hendon which depicted a gun and indicating the officer would be next.
Towers said despite the threats, regulars at the Nissan gym where he trained, and a gym in Pelaw, were aware he was a serving officer and he never made a secret of the fact.
Towers also spent time with the armed response unit and was posted to Gill Bridge police station in Sunderland where he worked as custody sergeant.
It was in 2006, when Towers decided to take his bodybuilding to a competitive level, he decided to use steroids alongside his almost daily gym sessions, strict diet and vitamin supplements.
He said he once again checked into the legality of taking the drugs and concluded he was not doing anything wrong. The trial continues.
Northumbria officer Darren Towers is accused of bulk buying anabolic steroids to distribute to fellow bodybuilders and turning a blind eye to others who were dealing.
The former seaman, who spent time in the Royal Navy before joining the force, denies conspiracy to supply steroids and misconduct in public office. He is being tried by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court.
The 41-year-old, who was based in Sunderland, told jurors yesterday he first started using steroids in the late 1990s when his wife was having problems taking the contraceptive pill, but believed they were legal.
He said: “My wife was on the contraceptive pill and it caused issues for her, effects the pill was having.
“As a result of that, and things I had read in magazines, I was aware testosterone was being tried as a male contraceptive and I looked into that to see if it could be an option for me to use, instead of my wife.”
When asked by his barrister Julian Smith if he went on to use steroids as a contraceptive he said: “I did, yes.”
Towers said his research prompted him to believe steroids were legal to possess and import for personal use.
He stopped using the drugs as a contraceptive when he and his wife decided to start a family.
The court heard Towers joined the police in 1998 and “excelled” through his training.
Towers, who continued his bodybuilding and became a black belt in martial arts, told jurors he became the target of a criminal gang because of his work on the beat in Hendon, Sunderland.
He said he received personal threats from the Hendon Mad Dogs and was advised by his superiors to take steps, such as alternating his route home, to protect himself.
The officer was visibly upset as he told the court: “They were notorious within Sunderland for the crimes they were committing against people, so much so there was a task force set up to target these people.
“I was already involved in incidents, where I had arrested three people single handedly, and they started targeting me as an individual.”
Towers said on one occasion his hat was stolen in Hendon, put on top of a telegraph pole, and threats written in chalk of what was going to happen to him.
On another occasion a sign was put up in Hendon which depicted a gun and indicating the officer would be next.
Towers said despite the threats, regulars at the Nissan gym where he trained, and a gym in Pelaw, were aware he was a serving officer and he never made a secret of the fact.
Towers also spent time with the armed response unit and was posted to Gill Bridge police station in Sunderland where he worked as custody sergeant.
It was in 2006, when Towers decided to take his bodybuilding to a competitive level, he decided to use steroids alongside his almost daily gym sessions, strict diet and vitamin supplements.
He said he once again checked into the legality of taking the drugs and concluded he was not doing anything wrong. The trial continues.
British Policeman denies supplying anabolic steroids made by UGL WildCat.
( despite what the journalist claims below possession of anabolic steroids for personal use isn't illegal in the UK. )
A Police officer muscleman supplied steroids to fellow bodybuilders and turned a blind eye to their drug dealings, a court heard.
Darren Towers, a custody sergeant with Northumbria Police, is accused of conspiring with two other men to supply the class C drugs.
Towers, 41, from Jarrow, South Tyneside, is also alleged to have committed misconduct in public office by failing to investigate the other two despite knowing they were involved in criminal activity.
Newcastle Crown Court heard Towers, a keen bodybuilder, had bought and sold steroids to share between a group of friends he knew from a gym where he worked out.
The other two men, Martin Flett and Martin Fannan, have already pleaded guilty to the drug charge but Towers denies that and misconduct.
Alex Menary, prosecuting, said: “The defendant is a serving police officer, a custody sergeant with Northumbria Police.
“Flett lived close to the defendant and they trained at the same gym and all three are linked by their involvement in bodybuilding and their use of steroids. The prosecution say all three conspired to supply steroids among themselves and to others.
“This is not a case of standing on street corners, this is on a low-level basis among users of these drugs and friends and associates in the gym where they trained.
“He also misconducted himself by failing to report the activities of Flett and Fannan. He knew these two were dealing steroids and failed to report and investigate that.”
Towers, a police officer with Northumbria since 1998, was working as a custody sergeant in Sunderland at the time of his arrest. Officers went to his home in March and he was arrested and a stash of steroids and tablets was found. When Towers’ phone was analysed there were hundreds of text messages between him and Flett, which prosecutors say were to set up deals. In one of the texts Towers is said to have told Flett: “Don’t forget to delete this message.”
Mr Menary said: “He knows text messages leave a trail and a saying ‘don’t forget to delete this’ as he doesn’t want to leave a trail.”
Jurors were told Towers must have known steroids were illegal as he allegedly checked the police computer system to see what their legal status was. When he was arrested, Towers said he had done some research on the internet and claimed he didn’t think steroids were illegal.
He said he had been using the drugs since 2006 but denied selling them to others, saying he knew Flett but had never given him anything other than legal protein powder.
Prosecutors say the steroids were obtained from various sources but mainly from a firm called Wildcat.
Flett, 27, of Ely Way, Fellgate, Jarrow, and Fannan, 34, of Hudson Avenue, Horden, County Durham, pleaded guilty to the conspiracy to supply drugs charge.
Towers denies conspiracy to supply drugs and misconduct between April 1, 2009, and April 1, 2010.
A Police officer muscleman supplied steroids to fellow bodybuilders and turned a blind eye to their drug dealings, a court heard.
Darren Towers, a custody sergeant with Northumbria Police, is accused of conspiring with two other men to supply the class C drugs.
Towers, 41, from Jarrow, South Tyneside, is also alleged to have committed misconduct in public office by failing to investigate the other two despite knowing they were involved in criminal activity.
Newcastle Crown Court heard Towers, a keen bodybuilder, had bought and sold steroids to share between a group of friends he knew from a gym where he worked out.
The other two men, Martin Flett and Martin Fannan, have already pleaded guilty to the drug charge but Towers denies that and misconduct.
Alex Menary, prosecuting, said: “The defendant is a serving police officer, a custody sergeant with Northumbria Police.
“Flett lived close to the defendant and they trained at the same gym and all three are linked by their involvement in bodybuilding and their use of steroids. The prosecution say all three conspired to supply steroids among themselves and to others.
“This is not a case of standing on street corners, this is on a low-level basis among users of these drugs and friends and associates in the gym where they trained.
“He also misconducted himself by failing to report the activities of Flett and Fannan. He knew these two were dealing steroids and failed to report and investigate that.”
Towers, a police officer with Northumbria since 1998, was working as a custody sergeant in Sunderland at the time of his arrest. Officers went to his home in March and he was arrested and a stash of steroids and tablets was found. When Towers’ phone was analysed there were hundreds of text messages between him and Flett, which prosecutors say were to set up deals. In one of the texts Towers is said to have told Flett: “Don’t forget to delete this message.”
Mr Menary said: “He knows text messages leave a trail and a saying ‘don’t forget to delete this’ as he doesn’t want to leave a trail.”
Jurors were told Towers must have known steroids were illegal as he allegedly checked the police computer system to see what their legal status was. When he was arrested, Towers said he had done some research on the internet and claimed he didn’t think steroids were illegal.
He said he had been using the drugs since 2006 but denied selling them to others, saying he knew Flett but had never given him anything other than legal protein powder.
Prosecutors say the steroids were obtained from various sources but mainly from a firm called Wildcat.
Flett, 27, of Ely Way, Fellgate, Jarrow, and Fannan, 34, of Hudson Avenue, Horden, County Durham, pleaded guilty to the conspiracy to supply drugs charge.
Towers denies conspiracy to supply drugs and misconduct between April 1, 2009, and April 1, 2010.
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