Police confirm and defend purchase of reportedly fake drug/bomb detection devices

The drug/bomb detection devices – reported by the BBC as being little more than toys – “sometimes” gave positive results and led to drug finds, the Police Force maintain, defending its reportedly-costly acquisitions.

1 February 2011, 12:00am
by Nestor Laiviera

2 min read

The Police statement came in the wake of a BBC coverage aired last week – reported locally exclusively by MaltaToday.com – that claimed that the Maltese Police Force and the Prison Division were taken in by fraudsters selling supposedly cutting-edge bomb detection devices but that are in fact merely toys.

According to the report, Malta was one of the first countries targeted by suspected British sellers of fake detectors currently being investigated by fraud police. It reported that the Malta Police Force was “persuaded” to part with “large sums of money in exchange for two of the devices,” while the Prison service bought another one.

Patrick Cuschieri (MIA Head of Security) told the BBC that the device is little more than a toy. “If I want the equipment to point at you, I just do that,” he says, gesturing with the ‘detector’. “It is just the way you swing your wrist.” The BBC also shows footage of Maltese Army personnel ‘sweeping’ locations with the detector.

In its statement, the Police confirmed that it bought two of these units in 1998, from a company based in Kent, UK. It however omitted mentioning the actual price paid in return for the units. Questions sent to the Police Force in this regard, as well as regarding who authorised the purchase, remain unanswered

Rebutting the claims, the Police maintained that “from information by experts who used these kits in Malta”, the Police said that” it did not agree with the allegations made regarding these devices – namely that they are some sort of ‘toy’.”

The Police maintained that these kits “sometimes” gave positive results, so much so that the Anti-Drug Squad even managed to discover drugs through their use.

However, the Police also said, that “experience showed that the efficiency of these kits is highly dependent on the person operating them.” The Police added that it is in contact with UK authorities to discover more information regarding the allegations that were made regarding these devices.

More from Nestor Laiviera

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Right. Let's be clear. These devices cannot and do not work see here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxArxIgB9oA&feature=player_embedded Either the police who defend this are uttrely stupid, or completely corrupt. I wonder which? Perhaps both!! Glad the stroy now out there properly. Please will the Government of Malta make an official complaint to the City Of London Police who are investigating this. Cheers, Dubious Dick

Paul Sammut •

''these kits “sometimes” gave positive results... and... experience showed that the efficiency of these kits is highly dependent on the person operating them.” Ha Ha Ha. Like already being aware where the find might be? Ha ha ha.

Monique Cauchi •

The police quite frankly are talking rubbish in regard to this matter. In a nutshell someone has screwed up and bought this garbage at huge expense. As for the price paid they were being sold at $40,000 each to any idiot they could take in. So it would appear that in total Malta has spent $120,000 on empty plastic boxes worth about $30 in total. Quite a deal you have to admit! Here is a challenge for the police. Take one of these items onto live TV and have it taken apart by an independent technician and have him explain to the viewers how it works. Given that they are empty boxes with no power supply and no electronics it should make for interesting viewing!