It was common in Colombia for cops, judges, and politicians to be given a choice - cooperate, and get paid a LOT of money, or you and your entire family can die. That’s a pretty easy choice.
The cocaine cartels had so much cash that they spent thousands of dollars a month on rubber bands just to bundle the bills, and they lost hundreds of thousands of dollars a month to rats eating the cash. Giving hefty cash payments in return for protection was better than losing it to rats.
Not exactly as shown in movies and series, it’s usually that the kingpins buy out cops either as protection or informants, so they get a tip before actual raids happen and either GTFO or plan something different, like leaving an idiot with a small amount of drugs to keep some heat off.
Hell, imprisoned criminals will often sway wardens with their money. It happens quite often in Brazil, with prisoners using cell phones from within their cells.
Not a kingpin but cops being owned by drug dealers is very real.
A buddy of mine, who is no longer a cop, was forced out because of that. My friend arrested a guy for beating up his wife. While looking through the guy’s text messages my friend found evidence that the guy was a drug dealer and was paying off another cop in the department to do all the shit you see in movies. Protect deals, take out competition, steal evidence to sell …the whole nine.
Why was my friend forced out? Well the chief of the detective unit (or whatever they called it) was inline to take on the #2 job in the state police department so he didn’t want any scandals. So he wanted the whole things covered up. My friend wouldn’t do it.
Do you know why he was going through a suspects texts? Seems like he was asking for trouble. I won’t even go through texts I have access to.
He dumped the guy’s phone as part of investigating the domestic violence incident.
He was asking for trouble by doing his job?
Without a warrant, sure. Sounded like he was just going through someone’s phone.
If you’re asking if criminals can/do own cops, yes, it happens. Look at the current state of the US or certain areas in Mexico. I only mention these two countries because I don’t know enough about other countries to make direct statements, but I am certain it happens. But it’s not like at a low level cop, it’s more likely the actual sheriffs or DAs or people in power. Those that have the power to let the criminals go.
In terms of low level cops taking bribes in general, and again I only mention Mexico from experience, but it is very common. Common enough that there’s a name for it (mordida), and that they’ll threaten regular folks who have maybe minor infractions to get some cash. (acab and all)
There’s a convicted felon in the White House right now.
Racist, 36x convicted felonious child rapist.
Well, if they take the bribe there is no arrest and you will never hear about it. So: probably yes.
Probably a trope. Low level cops don’t just stumble on kingpins. It take a large, coordinated investigation. You can’t just pay off the arresting officer, you’d need to pay off dozens at a minimum. And someone would say something. Maybe not to their boss, but at a bar, etc.
I can imagine paying them off to let you go in that moment. The arresting officer could just tell his boss I’m sorry he escaped. Or you could pay to delay the investigation.
Then you just flee the US jurisdiction and they never get to see you again!!!
Khun sa was at one time responsible for half of the world’s heroine production in the late 20th century. He surrendered to the Myanmar army disbanded his private military and spent the rest of his life in his mansion in Yangon since Myanmar had no extradition treaty with the us.
His daughters were famously brave…
If they do you will never know anyway…
