Lead Stories

Arthur Hall, Senior Staff Reporter

News of the death threats emerged last month after the police seized more than $40 million and a large quantity of counterfeit cigarettes during operations in Beverly Hills, St Andrew, and downtown Kingston.

Investigators quickly linked the threats to players in the illegal cigarette trade, but head of the Constabulary Communication Network, Inspector Steve Brown, yesterday declared that the police would not cower.

"It (the death threat) does not affect how we perform, because we know the threats will come, and frankly speaking, it comes with the territory. Once you hit these guys hard, they will try to get to you," Brown told journalists.

He was speaking at the end of an intelligence-driven operation which started shortly after seven yesterday morning and took the OCID team from 2A Louisville Road in the upscale Russell Heights community in St Andrew to two dry-goods wholesale and retail stores in downtown Kingston.

"We seized several cartons of counterfeit cigarettes, several uncustomed goods, including bleaching cream, counterfeit batteries, soap and bags ... and a large quantity of cash that is to be counted," Brown said.

Four Chinese nationals, including the owner of the Russell Heights premises who operates the New Island Wholesale and Retail on Heywood Street and the Sea Breeze Wholesale in North Parade, were arrested during the operations.

They were being questioned up to late yesterday.

"They will be charged for the offences. We will also be checking if they are in the island legally," declared Brown, as the four men were led away.

According to Brown, the police are resolute in their determination to crack down on the multibillion-dollar trade in counterfeit cigarettes, which is becoming big business in Jamaica.

"This counterfeit cigarette trade is getting bigger in Jamaica by the minute. The criminal elements, because we have taken them on in the guns-for-drugs trade, we have taken them on in the drugs trade, we have taken them on in other criminal activities, so they have switched their attention to the counterfeit cigarette trade," said Brown.

Late last month, policemen and women from the OCID raided premises on Shenstone Drive, Beverly Hills, St Andrew, and seized 123 packs and 56 cases of cigarettes.

Each case contained 50 cartons of cigarettes, including the popular brands of Newport, Rothmans, Matterhorn, Craven 'A', Benson & Hedges and Kool.

The police also seized fake Duracell batteries and an assorted array of expensive liquor and other counterfeit products.

According to the police US$237,043, J$19,297,000, CD$530, and other currencies were also seized.

The OCID also raided premises at North Street in downtown Kingston and seized a quantity of cigarettes, cash and bleaching creams.

But the police made it clear that there was no link between the two operations.