A number of Jamaican criminals who reside in the US and are allegedly directing, soliciting, or funding crime in Jamaica have been disclosed to US law enforcement by Jamaican authorities.
The disclosure was made on Thursday when senior representatives from the US Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) met with Prime Minister Andrew Holness, Commissioner of Police Major General Antony Anderson, and other government officials in Washington.
The meeting was called to discuss the increasing danger posed by transnational criminal gangs, organized criminal violence, and the trafficking of illegal guns into Jamaica.
According to a media release from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), during the meeting the commissioner noted that “closer cooperation will ensure that criminals do not feel they have a safe haven in the United States from which to sponsor crime in Jamaica.”
As for the issue of the illegal export of firearms, Holness said the United States is taking even greater steps to deal with the problem of illegal export of firearms.
“We are pleased to note the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act which creates a legal framework to interdict and prosecute persons illegally exporting guns from the United States,” he added.
Holness asked that the new Act give special attention to Jamaican traffickers and firearms intended for Jamaica.
According to the OPM, the meeting reviewed current programs and alliances, highlighted gaps that need to be filled, and looked into possibilities for advancing cooperation.
The OPM said possibilities for expanding institutional and human resource capacity-building and training were also explored.
