Nesbeth

GANGS in the St Catherine South Police Division, especially Newlands in Portmore, are being dismantled by a pair of fugitive apprehension teams, resulting in the capture of 38 wanted persons, some of whom have been convicted.

In addition to capturing known gang members, who have terrorised the division for years, Superintendent Marlon Nesbeth said numerous illegal firearms have also been seized.

"We have operational teams, but we have a fugitive apprehension team seeking to get all those guys who are major considerations in gangs, rapes, shootings and murders," said Nesbeth, pointing out that half the team concentrates on Portmore and Central Village whereas the other covers Old Harbour.

"It has been doing a lovely job, featuring in the apprehension of several of these key players, resulting in many being charged and convicted. With those players off the streets, it spells well in our efforts to promote public safety generally," Nesbeth added.

"Some of the men convicted were literally criminal legends in the Portmore and Central Village gang scene for many years," he said.

Convictions such as those of Keith 'What A Sight' Reid, an alleged hit man from Waterford; as well as Wilberforce 'Crackers' Mattherson, a notorious gang member from Gregory Park; in addition to Kevin 'Kill Dead' Walters from Braeton; all numbered in the ranks captured by the team.

Persons charged include Oneil 'Neily' Mahuri, the alleged don for Little Lane in Central Village, who has been on the radar of law-enforcement officials for many years.

Nesbeth said Newland has, by far, been the most notorious den for Portmore gangsters with seven key members taken into custody and warrants outstanding for another four.

Nesbeth has called on the public for assistance in locating a number of suspects including Don Toppin of Waterford; Patrick McDonald, also called 'Marcel'; 'Shrek' of Newlands; Rhomayne Boyd, also called 'British'; and Dwight Campbell, who goes by the alias 'Ku Ku'.

McDonald, Nesbeth said, is wanted on a warrant for a shooting in Waterford.

Nesbeth's net has even been felt outside the division with wanted men from Portmore migrating to the Corporate Area.

Bobby 'Fren Fren' Myers had fled Portmore to Rose Town, Kingston 13, after killing a teenage girl and a man.

Myers was killed in a shoot-out during a joint operation featuring police from Kingston West and St Catherine South after he engaged them in a dramatic gun battle last January.

"The fugitive apprehension team work in conjunction with other intelligence teams such as the Criminal Investigation Bureau. It's a mini task force, set up to target these persons, who keep coming up on our radar," Nesbeth pointed out.

We have operational teams, but we have a fugitive apprehension team seeking to get all those guys who are major considerations in gangs, rapes, shootings and murders. - Nesbeth