Cops caught with cocaine

Janet Silvera, Freelance Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Two policemen attached to the Canine Division, Kingston were arrested and charged with possession of and dealing in and trafficking cocaine, by detectives from the St. James Criminal Investigation Bureau on Friday night.

Corporal Dennis Malcolm, 41, of 150 Silverstone, Greater Portmore, St. Catherine; and 32-year-old Constable Dave Roper of 331 Woodstock, Buff Bay, Portland, were reportedly held with two kilograms of the illegal substance, in a "sting operation". Reports are that the police accosted the men in a car park.

The Constabulary Communi-cation Network reported that at about 8:45 p.m., members of the Montego Bay CIB were on patrol along the Howard Cooke Boulevard, when on reaching the vicinity of the fast food restaurant complex, a brown Toyota Camry motor car, registration number 3245DM owned by Cons. Roper, was seen parked on the sidewalk.

When the police patrol approached the vehicle, Cons. Roper started reversing the car which crashed into a signpost. Both men were held, the vehicle searched and two green plastic bags containing white powdery substance resembling cocaine were found under the right front passenger seat. The packages weighed two kilograms.

The drugs has an estimated street value of over $1 million. Both men were subsequently taken to the Montego Freeport Station, where they were formerly charged. Their case is set for mention in the St. James Resident Magistrate's court on July 10.

Cpl. Malcolm, who has been in the Police Force for the past 17 years, 13 of which he has spent at the canine division, was on his first day of rotation in Montego Bay. He arrived at 4 p.m. to take up duties. Within six hours he was behind bars. Cons. Roper had been in the resort town for only three weeks. George Thomas, attorney, is representing Cpl. Malcolm.

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