NSW: Security officer saw police count money, PIC told

AAP General News (Australia)
12-03-2001
NSW: Security officer saw police count money, PIC told

SYDNEY, Dec 3 AAP - A former security officer at a Sydney hotel where thousands of
drug dollars allegedly disappeared in a police raid told a corruption hearing he saw police
tip the money on a bed and count it.

The ex-officer, codenamed M7, today told the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) he had
entered room 506 of the Manly Pacific Hotel in February 1992 and discovered a bag of money
after suspicions were raised about the occupants.

He said during the execution of a search warrant by four or five detectives he became
scared when he was told a drug dealer, codenamed P1, was returning to the room.

"I advised police and then they drew their guns and I considered there might be some
danger and I didn't want to get shot," M7 said.

He told the Operation Florida hearing into police corruption he had then gone onto
the balcony because he was afraid.

M7 said he had witnessed police tip the money bag, which he believed held up to $20,000,
on to a bed and count it.

But he did not know who took charge of the money after the raid.

The PIC is investigating the conduct of Manly detectives and members of the Major Crime
Squad North during raids on the Manly Pacific Hotel and nearby units during the 1992 operation
Let's Dance.

The commission has heard of major discrepancies about the sum of money seized during
the hotel raid.

The hearing before acting Commissioner Tim Sage continues this afternoon.

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KEYWORD: PIC FLORIDA

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