Pubdate: Sun, 20 Feb 2000 Source: Sunday Telegraph (UK) Copyright: Telegraph Group Limited 2000 Contact: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/ Author: David Bamber, Home Affairs Correspondent PC HELD OVER UKP1M HEROIN SEIZURE A SERVING police officer with the Lancashire force has been arrested in India, allegedly attempting to smuggle heroin worth nearly UKP1 million into Britain using his official warrant card. Constable Shadir Rehman Abdul Mubarak was one of five men detained in Bombay on Friday after police said they were found with a box containing 11lb of high-grade heroin worth UKP950,000. It is alleged that Pc Mubarak, who lives near Preston and holds an Indian passport, was using his warrant card to try to smuggle the heroin into Britain inside a whisky box and a suitcase. He and another man - both said to have dual British-Indian nationality - - and the other three were arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau and have been remanded in custody. A British Customs official said he understood that Pc Mubarak was arrested as he was about to board a Manchester-bound flight. The drugs were allegedly found in his luggage. The policeman, who is based in the southern division of the Lancashire Constabulary, covering Chorley, Leyland and Skelmersdale, was on holiday in India and not on official business. Lancashire police chiefs ordered their own investigation last night. Assistant Chief Constable Julia Hodson said: "Early on Friday we were notified of the detention of a serving police officer at Bombay airport. "Since then, the chief superintendent in charge of this force's professional standards unit has been in close liaison with HM Customs and the Foreign Office." She promised early "positive and affirmative action" on Pc Mubarak's case. A Lancashire police spokesman said: "While the matter is outside our jurisdiction, we will obviously give any assistance required by other agencies." - --- MAP posted-by: Derek Rea