Animosity between the RCMP and the Organized Crime Agency of B.C. led to the failure of a multimillion-dollar investigation into the Hells Angels, a former lead investigator with the agency has alleged in a wrongful dismissal suit. The investigation, known as Project Phoenix, targeted several high-profile members of the Hells Angels biker gang, with agents working for the police buying and selling large quantities of drugs. The investigation was completed and reports were sent to Crown... Read Full Story
Former Delta employee Leslie Adgar, 42, and one of the former TSA workers, 44-year-old Jon Patton, admitted conspiring to distribute cocaine and heroin.Andre Mays, 24, the other ex-TSA worker, pleaded guilty to entering a secure airport area in violation of screening requirements.Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 17. Adgar and Patton face a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. Mays could receive up to a year.Prosecutors said a confidential source working for the Drug Enforcement... Read Full Story
William David Wallader, 62, was serving a minimum six-month jail term after being found guilty in May.The Court of Appeal in Brisbane has acquitted a former financial adviser, jailed for possessing counterfeit US treasury bonds worth $1.3 billion. His trial heard he was negotiating the sale of the fake bonds to the Turkish Government when he was arrested. The court is yet to publish its reasons, but in a short hearing this morning allowed the appeal. Mr Wallader is expected to be released... Read Full Story
One in three British children lives in relative poverty, Government advisers claim. Soaring numbers are depressed and in fear of crime, says a report from the four children's commissioners in the UK. Compared with youngsters in mainland Europe, they drink a lot more alcohol, start having sex earlier and are more likely to use cannabis, it adds. The findings, to be presented to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva this week, will be a setback for Gordon Brown, who... Read Full Story
A study by the children's commissioners covering England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland found: "Compared to other European countries, children drink a lot more alcohol, engage in early sex and are more likely to use cannabis."Children feel increasingly unsafe in their local area, with one in four concerned about violence, crime and weapons."The commissioners also hit out at growing "discrimination" against youngsters.They said shop signs banning two or more children made them feel like... Read Full Story
British children are being "demonised" by a society that is locking too many of them up, according to watchdogs. The joint report by children's commissioners for all parts of the UK said attitudes towards youngsters were hardening across the country. The experts said crime committed by children had fallen between 2002 and 2006, but the numbers criminalised had gone up by just over a quarter. Their conclusions are part of a United Nations review of standards in the UK. The four commissioners... Read Full Story
new study, commissioned by the Scottish Government, reveals the depth of the nation's drink and drug problem and its relation to homicide and suicide.Researchers found there were 500 killings in Scotland over five years and 5000 suicides over six years. Both these figures amount to almost double the rates for England and Wales. The report, Lessons for Mental Health Care in Scotland, looked at all suicides and homicides as well as those committed by people who had sought help from mental... Read Full Story
Sweeping plans to toughen up community penalties and restore confidence in the criminal justice system will be published this week. Under the proposals, offenders serving community sentences could be required to wear jackets identifying that they are being punished for breaking the law. The plans have been drawn up by Louise Casey, former head of the Government's Respect Unit. The Guardian reported that while they appeared to have the backing of Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, some ministers... Read Full Story
The Scottish government has "bold proposals to deal with the issue" of the "impact on crime and anti-social behaviour" of people drinking alcohol, which is reputedly "often cheaper than water" in some Scottish supermarkets. (Where that leaves the stereotype of Scots as careful with money, I don't know. Why would they buy water from supermarkets rather than getting it near-free from a tap? Perhaps they are all drunk.)To solve the problem of cheap and plentiful products and consumers willing to... Read Full Story
Misuse and Addictions Week, an awareness week supported by the home office runs from June 23-30th. During this week treatment agencies have an open door policy allowing addiction-treatment providers, referrers and commissioeinrs along with the general public to learn what services are available to them to help curb addiction. The awareness campaign coincides with the United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse which is held on June 26th. The UN Office on Drugs & Crime launches this... Read Full Story
