Cocaine, $300,000 Stolen From Vegas Police

Blank travelers checks valued at $300,000 and a quantity of cocaine were stolen from a safe deposit box used by the Metro Police Intelligence Bureau, Sheriff John Moran said Monday.

“An investigation took off at top speed this morning,” Moran told a press conference hours after word of the loss surfaced.

The checks and cocaine were taken sometime within the past two weeks from Western Vault Corp., a private security firm. The loss was discovered Saturday, Moran said.

Under the security system, the deposit box could be opened only if two undercover officers and an employee of the vault company were present, Moran said police were told. There was no sign of forced entry into the box.

Moran refused to discuss details of the investigation or whether he thought any undercover officers were involved. He said 15 suspects are being investigated but declined to say whether any were officers.

Moran said the money was used by undercover officers as a “flash roll” to bait suspects in drug deals. American Express provided the travelers checks, he said, adding that the department would stand the loss if any were cashed.

A woman who answered the phone at the vault company Monday but declined to give her name said there would be no comment on the incident until later.