Pubdate: Sun, 21 Oct 2007
Source: Stabroek News (Guyana)
Copyright: 2007 Stabroek News
Contact:  http://www.stabroeknews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4034

POLICE STILL MUM ON ALLEGED DRUG DEAL FINGERING SENIOR COP

Almost five months after the alleged drug deal  conversation between Senior 
Police Superintendent Steve  Merai and a city businessman surfaced the 
police remain  tightlipped about the investigation.

Acting Commissioner of Police Henry Greene in an  invited comment on Friday 
regarding progress in the  investigations said that he did not wish to comment.

In June this year the controversial senior officer's  voice was reportedly 
heard demanding money from an  alleged drug dealer to settle an issue. 
Initial reports  had stated that the Guyana Police Force was in receipt  of 
a copy of the recording and a transcript. The force  had also indicated 
that the transcript and recording  were accompanied by a letter. Since then 
the acting  police commissioner had said that investigations were  ongoing. 
Greene informed the media earlier that Merai  had been transferred to the 
Eve Leary Headquarters to  facilitate investigations as he was in charge of 
all  ministerial patrols. However when contacted on Friday  Greene said he 
will not say anything on the issue. When  asked if Merai was still in 
charge of ministerial  patrols, the acting police commissioner refused to 
comment too. According to the recordings, the  businessman had collected a 
delivery of cocaine from  another man who resides on the West Demerara, 
after the  drugs had been ! shipped by a Guyanese living in  Venezuela. The 
businessman having collected the  narcotics had allegedly refused to pay 
for it and the  Venezuelan man and his West Demerara accomplice 
had  reportedly contacted Merai asking him to ensure that  the businessman 
paid up. Merai was heard on the tape demanding US$60,000 from the 
businessman to settle the  case. Merai had later explained to the media 
that he  was really working undercover and trying to bring down  drug 
lords. A source has since confirmed that the  senior superintendent is 
still operating from Eve Leary. However Stabroek News was unable to 
confirm  whether or not the senior cop was still in charge of  ministerial 
patrols.

In the last update on the investigation, Greene had  said the force had 
received information that the main  suspect in the case had fled to 
neighbouring Suriname  and hence the investigations had stalled. 
Observers  pointed out that that person was not crucial to the 
investigation as everything hinged around whether  Merai's explanation was 
credible.
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D