Adrian Frater, News Editor 
Joel Andem being escorted by a policeman before his appearance at the Gun Court in downtown Kingston. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer
WESTERN BUREAU:
THE DECISION by four of Jamaica's most prominent crime figures Joel Andem, Kevin 'Ritchie Poo' Tyndale, Ricardo 'Jah Jah' Gordon and Donovan 'Bulbie' Bennett to seek safe haven in rural Jamaica in a bid to escape the long arms of the law backfired.
Because of the investigative power of the Operation Kingfish task force, they were all traced to their various hideouts and brought down. The unit has declared that no criminal should consider himself safe anywhere in Jamaica because it has the investigative powers to find them.
"What we have going for us is our multi-agency approach, which includes intelligence we gather from overseas," said Superintendent Denver Frater.
"We are also benefiting from instances where incarcerated gangsters provide us with credible information to bring down other gangsters."
JOEL ANDEM
Andem, who was Jamaica's most wanted man for over four years, chose foggy Clarksonville in deep rural St. Ann. When he, the then leader of the infamous 'Gideon Warriors', fled his base in the hills of St. Andrew, the gangster headed to the quiet town of Clarksonville in St. Ann, which is located close to the Clarendon border.
His hideaway, which was tucked away deep into the farming community, suggested that he had permanence in mind, based on the splendour of the spanking new six-bedroom house which he had constructed with all the trappings of a modern luxury home.
Andem appeared to have been so comfortable in his hideaway that when the police penetrated the thick fog and turned up at his door on the morning of May 26, last year, the man who was seen brandishing an M16 assault rifle in a video the police had captured and showed on television was caught completely off guard.
The cops, who were part of the raiding party, said the captured gangster was so surprised to see them that he offered no resistance as he was taken into custody.
On the morning of Wednesday, May 26, last year, the formerly elusive Andem was aroused from his sleep by the lawmen who, unknown to him, had found his lair.
According to Superintendent Donald Pusey, who was a part of the operation, the much-feared Andem, who was wanted for murder and extortion, among other charges, "trembled like a badly tuned truck" when he realised that he was at the mercy of the lawmen, who had come to end his freedom.
RITCHIE POO
Convicted killer Kevin 'Ritchie Poo' Tyndale, who took over the 'Gideon Warriors' after Joel Andem was caught, decided that the hills of Land Lease and Mud City in St. Andrew were no longer safe after several close confrontations with the police. He settled in quaint Black Shop, in St. James.
Tyndale, who was then wanted on several counts of murder and shooting, including an incident in which he reportedly shot a policeman, decided he needed a safe haven in rural Jamaica.
Considering himself safe in Black Shop, he soon adopted to rural life, playing football with the residents and spending many long hours in the river that ran through the community.
It was, therefore, a major surprise to the gangster when he was roused from his sleep in the early morning of Saturday, February 12, and found himself surrounded by the guns of Kingfish.
As the residents of the farming community were waking up to the early morning excitement in their backyard, the obviously scared Tyndale was reportedly wetting his pants as he begged for his life.
The ruthless Tyndale, who was wanted on several counts of murder, was reportedly awakened by the banging on his door and shouts from the police to, "... open the door bwoy!"
He reportedly opened the door crying and pleading for his life. As the first light of day reportedly settled on his clothes, sources present for the take-down said the man was so frighten and surprised that "he wet his pants."
"He felt he was safe because of the isolated nature of Black Shop," said Superintendent Frater. "He must be still wondering where the intelligence came from that led us to him."
JAH JAH
When Kingfish turned its attention to Spanish Town eight months ago, the team had a mission to reclaim the streets of the old capital from the 'One Order' and 'Clansman' gangs, which used gun violence, murders and extortion to transform the once-thriving commercial hub into a city of blood. Renowned gangsters, such as 30-year-old Ricardo 'Jah Jah' Gordon, the reputed crime boss of the Homestead area, fell under the microscope.
Following a botched murder attempt against a man, who reportedly offended him, Gordon fled his Spanish Town base for the hills of Bethel Town, Westmoreland, where he blended into the community and was fitting into rural life.
Gordon's cover was blown on the night of Thursday, September 29. He was cornered and held in Bethel Town. He, too, reportedly cried like a baby, begging the Kingfish team to spare his life.
Jah Jah thought he would be safe in Bethel Town.
Gordon was wanted by the police for attempted murder and several cases of shootings and was reputed to be a major player in both the thriving extortion ring in the old capital and a top gun-runner.
The gangster chose Bethel Town, a thriving farming community in Prime Minister PJ Patterson's Eastern Westmoreland constituency, where he had friends and associates. Reports are that he quickly settled into the community and was soon considered one of the boys.
Unknown to Gordon, Kingfish's intelligence had tracked him to the area. He was at his new home relaxing when, to his utter dismay, he found himself surrounded by the police.
Thinking he would have been killed, he reportedly dropped to his knees and begged the lawmen to spare him. When he was pulled to his feet, it was discovered that he, too, had wet his pants.
BULBIE
Kingfish's biggest and most important catch came last Sunday when they caught up with Bennett, who was on the run for over 10 years. Like the other gangsters, he went rural, seeking refuge in Rock River, Clarendon.
Bennett, who residents thought was a wealthy returning resident, was reportedly killed in a shoot-out with the police, who had breached his security system
and had ended up at the door to his sprawling seven-bedroom mansion.
The reputed gang leader was described by law enforcement officials as the chief executive officer of the notorious Spanish Town-based 'Clansman' gang.
Bennett, who the police said was implicated in between 80-100 murders, primarily in the war for turf in the Old Capital with rival gang, 'One Order', reportedly once told former politician Heather Robinson that he wanted to become Jamaica's top crime boss.
However, with Kingfish turning up the heat in Spanish Town, the elusive Bennett headed out to Tanaky, a quiet district, near Rock River, where he had constructed his dream.
The hideaway, which police sources said was fit for a king, had seven bedrooms and four bathrooms and was reportedly over a mile away from the closest neighbour.
It is unclear as to exactly what transpired when the Kingfish team surprised Bennett at his posh haven last Sunday, October 30, but the neighbours were awakened by heavy gunfire. It was later learnt that Bennett and a man said to be his driver were both shot and killed.
