THE ORGANISED Crime Unit is investigating what appears to have been a major illegal telephone exchange set up on the ninth floor of The Towers, Dominica Drive, New Kingston.
This was confirmed yesterday by two high-ranking police officers who declined to comment further on the discovery.
The latest investigation came less than a month after the Director of Public Prosecutions, Kent Pantry, had requested overseas help to probe allegations of wire-tapping in Jamaica. His request came against the background of reports that the telephones of several high-ranking police officers and politicians had been tapped.
Monday's discovery was made during an operation conducted by technicians from the Post and Telecommunication Department, under the watchful eyes of the police.
Several pieces of high-tech equipment, telephones and cables were seized in the raid. Most of the equipment was apparently being used to bypass the Cable and Wireless system. But a Cable and Wireless technician has suggested that for the process to be facilitated, the culprits must have tampered with the private lines of customers.
The technicians suggested that by doing this, they could eavesdrop on people's conversations. There were further reports that during the operation, voices were heard on a number of lines at the illegal exchange.
Supt. Talbert White of the Half-Way Tree police station said police who accompanied the Post and Telecom technicians to the site, were not a part of the operation, but went to ensure the technicians carried out their function without coming under attack.
