Some of the men detained in yesterday's operations being escorted to the guard room of the Spanish Town police station. They were picked up in connection with the upsurge of violence in the town. - Norman Grindley /Staff Photographer HEAD OF the Crime Management Unit (CMU), Senior Superintendent Reneto Adams, said yesterday that 40 suspects who have been implicated in the killings and mayhem across Spanish Town, St. Catherine, over the past three weeks, are now being sought by the police.
"We have their names," said Mr. Adams, displaying two letter-sized pages, which he held aloft.
A week ago, the police also reported that they were looking for 12 men in connection with the four murders and shootings in the Hermitage/August Town area of St. Andrew.
Mr. Adams told The Gleaner that 23 persons were detained yesterday, during an intensive operation across several communities in Spanish Town.
"We raided the bus park, Tawes Pen, Duncans Pen," explained SSP Adams, who was at the bus park in Spanish Town, instructing his men to search stalls and vehicles, when The Gleaner visited.
Deputy Superintendent Terrence Bent of the Special Anti-Crime Task Force, who was part of the operation, explained that the recent flare-up in the town had to do with a long-time feud between the 'Clans Man Gang', led by one of the country's most notorious wanted men, Donovan Bennett, 38, alias 'Bulbie', leader of the notorious 'Clans Massive' and who has been linked to over 20 murders, and the 'Bubba Gang'. The gangs are linked to the People's National Party (PNP) and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), respectively.
The Gleaner understands that members of both gangs have been fighting for territorial control of the bus park and the commercial district in Spanish Town, even before the October 16 General Election.
According to the police, at least 15 persons have been killed since the feud started. Things took a turn for the worse on the weekend, claiming the lives of four persons. It is alleged that whichever gang controls the bus park and the town, extorts money from the business community, taxi and bus operators.
While the area is still tense, the adjoining communities were saturated with heavily armed police personnel. The commercial district was buzzing with activity and people were seen going about their business as usual.
Vendors were peddling their wares on the sidewalks and long lines of traffic crawled through the town. At the Spanish Town police station, relatives crowded the guard room enquiring about the detainees taken into custody.
