Arrangements are being made for several Jamaicans linked to lottery scamming activities to be extradited to the United States according to National Security Minister Dr. Horace Chang
Speaking at a ground-breaking ceremony for a new police station in Frome, Westmoreland, Chang said the proceeds from lottery scamming activities are fueling the violence in Jamaica.
But he told the ceremony that law enforcement agencies are determined to dismantle the illegal networks and that 21 so-called lottery scammers were extradited to the US last year.
“And there’s more to come. I can say that with confidence. In addition to that we have people who import because of scamming, but I know the police…. are monitoring dozens of them out there and we going to find them, lock them up,” he added.
The operations to arrest these individuals were conducted by the Joint Operations Linked to Telemarketing (JOLT) Task Force, which includes the police, Major Organized Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA), Financial Investigations Division (FID) as well as US investigators.
Chang said 52 people are now before the court on charges related to scamming, and a number of lottery scamming networks are being monitored by local law enforcement, so it is only a matter of time before investigators “find them, catch them and lock them up”.
The national security minister told members of the security forces that they should take a zero-tolerance approach in defending themselves from armed thugs who confront them.
“Anytime a man take up a gun after police…when him fire him mustn’t miss. And when him get hurt, him get hurt. Once him pull a gun on a police officer, he must be prepared to deal with it,” said the minister, who further quipped that he preferred if the criminal does not then need medical care since that will cost the state “$10 million” to save his life.
He urged criminals to instead surrender when approached by the police, adding that “they are entitled to a fair trial.”
Chang also claimed that 32 alleged gang members who are out on bail are behind a number of murders in Westmoreland, adding that light sentences embolden convicted criminals.
So far Jamaica has recorded 1,089 murders as compared to 1,016 for the corresponding period ending September 14.
CMC/
