British police to help with drug inquiry in Trinidad

SCOTLAND YARD detectives are investigating allegations of widespread corruption and drug dealing by senior police officers in Trinidad and Tobago.

Two senior officers travelled to Trinidad earlier this week and more officers are expected to be sent, Scotland Yard said yesterday. They are investigating claims that police officers on the Caribbean islands have been operating a drugs cartel.

The allegations were made in March after the suspension of Assistant Police Commissioner Rodwell Murray. He was relieved of duty by the islands' Police Service Commission because of 'discreditable conduct'. He is alleged to have assaulted a female officer.

Mr Murray denies the charges and claims he was framed. He claims other officers set him up because he refused to have anything to do with a drugs ring.

The Trinidadian authorities appointed a two-man inquiry to investigate his claims. Mr Murray was interviewed for two days and the resulting report was passed to the Prime Minister, Patrick Manning, who asked Scotland Yard to investigate. It was felt there were insufficient police officers locally.