LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - An elite Louisville task force that intercepted shipments of heroin and other illegal drugs at UPS’ worldwide hub has been disbanded - at least for now - after a former detective stole nearly $75,000 while on the job.
The Louisville Metro Police Department pulled the task force from the shipping giant’s hub at the Louisville International Airport in September, The Courier-Journal reported Tuesday (https://cjky.it/2lWOTZd).
Investigators, including Louisville police and federal agents with Homeland Security Investigations, would use drug-detecting dogs to intercept packages, many of which had been shipped by members of Mexican cartels, authorities said.
The task force was disbanded after the FBI said it uncovered that Det. Kyle Willett had stolen more than $74,700 in cash from intercepted packages. Willett pleaded guilty to a felony theft charge in December.
Detectives on the task force have since been reassigned to other narcotics investigations.
U.S. Attorney John Kuhn called Willett a “rogue cop” and said officials are working on a way to restore the task force.
“It’s so important that this task force be reconstituted,” Kuhn said. “We’re having productive conversations with UPS. They don’t want to be shipping poison.”
Louisville Deputy Police Chief Michael Sullivan on Tuesday called discussions with UPS “very preliminary.” It is too early to predict how the task force would be structured and whether any adjustments need to be made, he said.
In the meantime, UPS has continued in-house security measures to intercept illegal packages and has called in Louisville police and various law enforcement across the country, company spokesman Mike Mangeot said.
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Information from: The Courier-Journal, https://www.courier-journal.com
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