‘Narcotics stolen from drug raids’

South-western Division investigators yesterday recalled that they had seized more than 20 kilogrammes of cocaine in a police raid in Erin when three men were arrested. That was exactly around the same time, in August 2000, a senior police source said yesterday, when an alleged raid took place at the home of New Grant couple, Narine Rooplal and his wife, Ashtee, who were acquitted of trafficking 73.5 kilogrammes of cocaine by the High Court in San Fernando last week.

It was discovered during the trial that cocaine in 32 of the 73 packets allegedly seized was missing from the five crocus feed bags in which they were contained.

Justice Herbert Volney referred to its disappearance as an act of "human rats," and called for an investigation.

The senior police source said yesterday that in the Erin bust, a substantial amount of cocaine did not make it to the Siparia Magistrates’ Court.

The probe is continuing and a police source told Newsday yesterday that a much wider net has been cast to find the culprits behind the missing cocaine.