Mark Standen is alleged to have had massive gambling debts and had set up the AU$120 million drug deal
Australian police are investigating links between allegedly corrupt top crime investigator Mark Standen and a jailed drug runner whose attempt to smuggle AU$7 million (NZ$8.83 million) in cocaine into Australia was foiled by New Zealand customs. Standen, NSW Crime Commission deputy head was arrested this week for his alleged role in a AU$120 million global drug conspiracy. He now faces a second investigation into his friendship with John Anderson, who is awaiting sentencing over the cocaine smuggling, Melbourne's Sun-Herald newspaper reported. The newspaper reported Australian Federal Police began their investigation into Standen the same month New Zealand authorities intercepted Anderson's cocaine shipment en route to Australia from South America. In June 2006, the New Zealand Customs Service, recovered 18.3kg of cocaine concealed on the exterior of the vessel MV Tampa as it arrived in Auckland Harbour. The vessel was bound for Australia. The drugs and the metal pod containing...