Postage irregularities bring out the secret police (7)

I believe the answer is:

gestapo

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'secret police' is the definition.
(Nazi secret police)

'postage irregularities bring out' is the wordplay.
'postage' anagrams to 'GESTAPO'.
However, I'm not sure how this is indicated.

'the' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for gestapo that I've seen before include "State police in Nazi Germany" , "Geheime Staatspolizei" , "Postage (anag)" , "Notorious secret police" , "war force" .)

I've seen this clue in The Globe and Mail.

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