Operation Delhi Police Side
The events depicted took place in Gibraltar in 2024.
The position of the Gibraltar Police, led at the time by Commissioner Ian McGrail, is that the entire operation was rooted in procedural adherence and the pursuit of due diligence within the boundaries prescribed by the law.POLICE SIDE
McGrail Inquiry Explained
McGrail’s position affirms that every step taken was lawful and proportionate, and that the headwinds experienced throughout the operation reveal a conspiracy by the political establishment to protect James Levy, senior partner of Hassans.
The operation was initiated on the basis of allegations from James Gaggero, CEO of the Bland group of companies, concerning financial irregularities and potential threats to public security. These involved the alleged misuse of the National Security Centralised Intelligence System, or NSCIS, by Thomas Cornelio and John Perez. It was suspected that these individuals used their positions within the Bland Group to divert business opportunities to 36 North with the aid of Caine Sanchez and James Levy, essentially setting up a competing enterprise while still employed by Bland. This conflict of interest was seen as a breach of their fiduciary duties to Bland Group.Mr Gaggero provided evidence to support the allegations of sabotage of the National Security Centralised Intelligence System (NSCIS), including a report from PwC that he commissioned. This PwC report detailed technical assessments and anomalies that could potentially support the claims of sabotage.
The police embarked on a series of investigations aimed at uncovering the truth behind these allegations, maintaining a focus on collecting tangible evidence that could support or refute the claims made about the activities of the accused individuals. This involved detailed scrutiny of financial transactions, electronic communications, and other relevant data, which were analysed by forensic experts. The original defendants of Operation Delhi, Cornelio, Sanchez and Perez, were eventually arrested and charged with “conspiracy to defraud Blands”.
In the inquiry, McGrail and his officers declared that the issuing of a search warrant against James Levy, a significant action in the operation, was conducted after obtaining the necessary judicial approval, and that it was proportionate and justified by the suspicion that he could destroy evidence had a search warrant not been issued.
As the operation progressed, the police faced scrutiny regarding the manner in which the investigations were conducted. Questions were raised about the influence of the Chief Minister and the Attorney General and the potential for conflicts of interest, however, the police’s position is that they remained focused on their duty to investigate suspected criminal activities without interference, privilege or bias.
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