Drug War Issues
More problems for the Philly narcs, another border guard goes down, so does a Puerto Rican husband and wife team, and a TSA guard gets popped. Just another week of drug-related law enforcement corruption. Let's get to it:
In Philadelphia, two more Philly PD narcotics officers have been placed on desk duty as FBI and local investigators look into allegations of misconduct. Officers Robert McDonnell and Richard Cujdik, both veterans of the Narcotics Field Unit, retain their department-issued weapons and police powers, but have been taken off the streets. Cujdik is the brother of Officer Jeffrey Cujdik, whose falsification of search warrant affidavits set off an investigation into the unit. That investigation broadened after the Philadelphia Daily News reported accusations by at least 15 convenience store owners that they had been raided, their surveillance cameras disabled, and food, drinks, cigarettes and cash stolen by the dope squad, which then arrested them for selling small plastic baggies. Richard Cujdik led a September 11, 2007, raid on a convenience store, part of which was captured on a hard drive after the officers disabled the surveillance equipment. Cujdik was shown searching the owner's van without a search warrant. The store owner said $10,000 was taken in the raid, but police paperwork documented seizing only $875. McConnell is suspected of collaborating with Jeffrey Cujdik in falsifying search warrants.
In Palm Bay, Florida, a Transportation Security Administration security officer was arrested April 8 on charges he dealt in drugs and guns. Officer Timothy Monroe was being held on $750,000 bond after being arrested as police raided his home, seizing drugs, guns and "piles of cash." Police found marijuana and enough cocaine to trigger a federal trafficking probe, "bags and bags" of marijuana, a variety of firearms and "loads" of ammunition. Monroe quit his TSA gig last Thursday.
In Brownsville, Texas, a US Customs and Border Protection officer pleaded guilty Monday to bribery, alien smuggling, and drug trafficking charges. Sergio Hernandez, 40, has been jailed since he was arrested January 28. Hernandez admitted letting cars carrying contraband drugs or people pass through his lane as he inspected incoming traffic on the Free Trade Bridge at Los Indio between June 2008 and January. Hernandez, a full-service corrupt border official, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to bring illegal immigrants into the US for private financial gain, accepting bribes to do so, as well as conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 15 kilograms of cocaine, and accepting $150,000 in bribes to do so. As part of his plea deal, he also forfeited $85,520 in cash seized from his home after his arrest.
In San Juan, Puerto Rico, a husband and wife police team pleaded guilty Monday to federal drug trafficking charges. Jose Garcia and Jacqueline Torres Cruz were indicted by a US grand jury in February along with two other police officers in the 2007 robbery of a drug dealer. According to prosecutors, the couple conspired to rob the dealer and sell 18 pounds of cocaine themselves. Prosecutors are recommending seven years for Garcia and four for his wife.
Permission to Reprint: This content is licensed under a modified Creative Commons Attribution license. Content of a purely educational nature in Drug War Chronicle appear courtesy of DRCNet Foundation, unless otherwise noted.
Comments
Americans Selling Guns To Drug-Dealers Is Terrorist Activity
NARCO-Terrorists frequently cross into the U.S. from Mexico and have killed Americans. Threatening U.S. National Security, illegal drug gangs now operate in 230 U.S. Cities. U.S. Government should charge Americans that knowingly sell weapons to NARCO-Terrorists or their drug distributors, with Terrorist Activity.
As drug-gang violence increases in intensity on the U.S./Mexico Border, U.S. gun sales skyrocket. Many Americans fear Congress will pass laws restricting U.S. gun ownership.
During the run up to the 1994 passage of The Federal Assault Weapons Ban, Americans as they are now, stampeded gun stores buying weapons. In 1994 before passage of the "Ban" there was no legal definition what was an "assault weapon." Gun owners worried the âBanâ could include all semi-automatic firearms, guns that when firedâautomatically extract a bulletâs casing and reload the next round into the chamber.
Shortly after the 1994 Assault Weapons "Ban" Passed, Congress proposed a 1-Year shelf life for ammunition sold to the Public. A member of Congress proposed legislation that would prevent Americans stockpiling ammunition: that U.S. Citizens not be allowed to purchase ammunition with a shelf-life longer than twelve monthsâand ammunition purchased be self-destructing, biodegradable. Subsequently this idea was shelved after dissenters pointed out forcing biodegradable ammunition on Americans would create a black market for foreign ammunition.
In 2009 as in 1994, speculators are buying massive amounts of semi-automatic guns in expectation the government will restrict ownership of those weapons. In 1994 gun-speculators got burnt: the Assault Weapons Ban included a provision that prohibited the sale or transfer of guns listed by the government as âassault weapons.â It is problematic a new gun law passed by Congress might include that transfer ban. Perhaps it would be more effective for U.S. Government to use current terrorist laws to charge Americans that knowingly supply U.S. and Mexico drug gangs with guns.
9 out of 10 criminals claim crime does pay... and cops agree!
Considering that only 1 in 10 criminals get caught... and that it's ok for law enforcement agencies to break the law inorder to protect it... it certainly makes you wonder how many cops are engaging in criminal activities.
No one is Safe when Police are Corrupt
When police are corrupt no one is safe. It's unfortunate becaussse we have some good cops but we obviously have some bad cops too. Philadelphia is facing some hard times and it shows in behaviors of our police force. AGGRESSION, Brutality and fatalites are at an all time high and we're not safe.
Amerika
This whole country sucks, the government causes way more damage than they prevent
Add new comment