Antiguan WPC drug courier goes to court in England

Officers at the St John's Police Station and other units
are hurt over the incident

by Sarrah Hadeed
Caribbean Net News Antigua-Barbuda Correspondent.
Email: sarrah@caribbeannetnews.com

Monday,  December 5, 2005

ST JOHN’S, Antigua:  An Antigua and Barbuda woman police constable, who was nabbed at Gatwick Airport in England by British police just over one week ago, after arriving on Virgin Atlantic Airways and discovered with several pounds of cocaine in her bag, will go before the court on Wednesday to answer charges of alleged drug trafficking as well as importation. 

The case has further unsettled the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda, which recently had its top brass forced off the duty line by the government, in a bid to improve the quality of service that the department provides to the nation.

Meanwhile, officers have been told to "say very little" on the matter. However, a source at the St. John's Police Station told Caribbean Net News on Sunday that "this is a matter that has created local, regional and international embarrassment both for the Force and the whole country. 

Caribbean New News has also learnt that the embattled WPC, who is now a "guest of interest" to the British police, has been a member of the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda for almost 10 years and one senior officer disclosed that "she will surely be suspended from duty as the investigation continues. This will also be the fate of another WPC who too was implicated in this matter and she could end up being extradited to England if the investigations determine that."

This latest incident has caused British authorities to question whether or not customs, immigration and police officials in Antigua and Barbuda are in anyway involved in the organised smuggling of drugs into Europe.

"We are just keen on knowing, what was a police officer doing with several pounds of cocaine in her possession? Is it because she is a police officer and used her rank to avoid detection or is it because she is part of what some people are alleging is the Antigua connection, which include members of the police and Coast Guard, Customs and Immigration units? These are just some of the questions we want answered," one British police told Caribbean Net News.

The second officer in Antigua became implicated when the WPC in England told police there that she was given the package to take to England by the officer here.

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