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Drug cases dropped
NEWPORT NEWS — Prosecutors have dropped charges in 40 drug cases because they depended on the testimony of police officers now facing criminal or internal charges.
“The impact on the street will obiously not be good,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Willard M. Robinson.
He said the cases were “routine” and did not involve large quantities of drugs, but “anyone who is distributing is significant to me. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been charged.”
In a related development, Police Chief Darrel Stephens revealed that a second group of officers is under investigation in a probe into missing drugs.
The officers allegedly were deceptive when asked questions during poly -aph examinations. They were ased whether they had allowed informants to keep drugs, Mr. Stephens said.
Sometimes police allow informants to buy drugs for use as evidence in probes of suspected dealers, he said. Sometimes an informant will try to keep some of the drugs he buys, Mr. Stephens said.
Since Oct. 1, four current or former members of the
87.4%