NSW: Police officers involved in extortion to be sacked
17 Feb 2009 3:12 PM
SYDNEY, Feb 17 AAP - Two Sydney police officers who admitted pocketing thousands of dollars from an extortion racket have been suspended without pay, NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione says.
The Police Integrity Commission (PIC) is investigating the conduct of Liverpool Detective Nasser Battal and a second officer, codenamed "LP1".
On Monday, the men told the hearing they profited from the sale of illegally imported tobacco that they confiscated from western Sydney tobacconists.
The hearing was told the men received further payments from the owners of the tobacco to guarantee the matter would not be taken further.
LP1 has told the hearing the men also staged raids on vehicles carrying drugs in late 2008, later selling packages of white powder to a third party for $5,000.
Mr Scipione said he suspended both men on Tuesday morning.
"The two officers (have been) involved in very serious criminal activity," Mr Scipione told reporters in Sydney on Tuesday.
"Based on the admissions that have been made, and as of this morning, I've directed those two officers be suspended without pay."
The men will now be served with a loss of confidence notice that will likely lead to their sacking.
"We will await the outcome of the PIC inquiry to go further," Mr Scipione said.
Mr Scipione said the men had let down their colleagues and the people of NSW and that it would not be tolerated.
"To say I'm disappointed is probably an understatement, but I think there's about 15,000 others that are very disappointed as well," he said.
"Not only have they betrayed the NSW Police Force, but they've betrayed the men and women that they serve alongside, and in fact, they've betrayed the public of NSW and that won't be tolerated."
"I've always said we've had a zero tolerance policy when it comes to police corruption and today we'll see that in action."
