Billions in arms - Police say lottery scam funding weapons purchase in St James

published: Friday | October 3, 2008

Nagra Plunkett, Assignment Coordinator


Assistant Commissioner of Police Denver Frater, officer in charge of the Area One Police Division. - Photo by Noel Thompson

WESTERN BUREAU:

DESPITE POLICE efforts to break the back of the lottery scam in St James, the scheme remains vibrant and is reportedly pumping billions of dollars into the criminal underworld.

"If you look in recent times at the calibre weapons that are recovered by the police, the amount of rounds, ammunition being expended and recovered at crime scenes and the motives, investigations point to the lotto scam," Assistant Commissioner of Police Denver Frater, officer in charge of the Area One Police Division, told The Gleaner during a visit to its Western Bureau offices in Montego Bay yesterday.

Frater, who has responsibility for the parishes of Trelawny, St James, Hanover and Westmoreland, described the scam as a "unique challenge to law enforcement".

"It is a clear indication that billions of dollars are in circulation coming from this scheme."

He further stated: "If you look at some communities, the sudden rise to fame in terms of assets (such as) houses and motor cars, these are not cheap. The lifestyles of some persons clearly demonstrate the volume of cash that is being circulated."

The lotto scam involves fleecing unsuspecting Americans of large sums of money. Local scam artists use illicitly obtained personal information on potential victims, particularly retirees, to con them into sending them money on the pretext that they have won a lottery and need to send a processing fee to claim their winnings.

Police information indicates that players, who also include schoolchildren, make US$4,000 (J$288,000) to US$10,000 (J$720,000) on average weekly.

The lotto scam has also been linked to several murders, kidnappings and robberies in St James, which accounts for 12 per cent of the country's crime rate.

Frater, who managed the Criminal Investigation Branch portfolio before his transfer to Area One last month, noted that despite some disappointment with the cooperation of potential complainants, investigators will be using the Proceeds of Crime and Money Laundering Acts to counter lotto players.

"Investigation of this sort is not a one slam thing. It is going to take some time to get our case together. We have some success, we have had persons' properties forfeited, persons have gone to prison, and there are a number of other persons from St James in the waiting gallery to go to prison," the Frater said.

nagra.plunkett@gleanerjm.com

Read More

Lottery scammers go regional

Lottery scammers who operated out of St James have reportedly moved their operations to other Caribbean islands because of increased pressures from the authorities here.

Police intelligence has revealed that several suspected lottery scammers are travelling across the region to collect money transferred to them by unsuspecting victims.

Citizens and residents in the United States are the primary targets.

However, newly appointed commanding officer in charge of Area One, Assistant Commissioner Denver Frater, refused to say what countries form part of the police investigations.

He said a number of police personnel in Montego Bay have been placed under the radar of the Area One Police High Command for their alleged involvement in the ongoing lottery scam.

Read More

Jamaicans eating less of what they grow

PATRICK FOSTER, Observer writer
Friday, October 03, 2008



(L-R) Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture representative in Jamaica, Cynthia Currie; permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Donovan Stanberry; and Dr Dunstan Campbell, Food and Agriculture Organisation representative in Jamaica, field questions at Tuesday's launch of World Food Day at the ministry's Hope Road, Kingston headquarters. (Photo: Bryan Cummings) Only 39 per cent of the foodstuff that is consumed in the island is locally produced, pushing the country's food import bill over $662 million and threatening the success of government's "eat what you grow, grow what you eat" drive.

"Sixty-one per cent of products in the food basket are import-based," Donovan Stanberry, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture said Tuesday, adding that Jamaica's food bill was rising at an alarming rate, standing at $479 million in 2002 and climbing to $662m in November 2007.

"This is a major statement on our level of dependency, hence our vulnerability to external shocks," said Stanberry.
He was speaking at the launch of World Food Day at the agriculture ministry on Hope Road in Kingston.

World Food Day will be observed October 16 under the theme 'World Food Security: The Challenge of Climate Change and Bioenergy'.

"Given the prospects of continuing increases in prices, we (Jamaica) must attempt to reduce dependence on imports for consumption," Stanberry warned.

According to Stanberry, the "frightening" situation has led the agriculture ministry, through the Rural Agriculture Development Authority (RADA), to implement several strategies to stimulate local production.

He said that greenhouse clusters are being established to significantly increase production of fruits and vegetables that will consistently produce "what the market requires".

Focus is also being placed on the production of tubers, Stanberry said, and meetings have been held with yam farmers and the Irish potato growers' association.

An increase in the numbers, and improved training for agriculture extension officers was also critical, said Stanberry, who added that overseas training of additional officers was being conducted.

He added that a revitalisation of the dairy industry, through the disbursement of loans to dairy farmers was under way.
"We are providing loans to increase pasture and improve our breed and undertake rapid multiplication," Stanberry said. "People are taking up the loans," he added.

Stanberry, however, charged that food security was more than simply producing food.

"We have to build infrastructure, increase the number of extension officers and improve the marketing and distribution network," said Stanberry. "That's why we have been improving RADA."

He added that the ministry would also be promoting the food security programme in schools, and plans to have 900 school gardens in three years to "lay the foundation for a sustainable programme".

The permanent secretary declared that while many people frowned on government's backyard garden kits as a gimmick, empirical evidence proved that planting the items in the kit could save as much as $12,000 per year in food bills.

Read More

Back a yard! - Jamaican Olympians return for week of celebration

Howard Walker, Observer staff reporter
Friday, October 03, 2008



Jamaica's Olympians strike a pose in the VIP Lounge at the Norman Manley International Airport yesterday after arriving for the 10-day Olympic Homecoming Celebrations. From left are Dwight Thomas, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Maurice Smith, Kerron Stewart and Richard Phillips. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

TWO-TIME Olympic 200 metres champion, Veronica Campbell-Brown, says it doesn't matter where Jamaicans train; they are destined to run fast. She also says she has no intention of training locally any time soon.

Campbell-Brown arrived in the island yesterday, along with a number of other athletes, for the 10-day Olympic Homecoming Week to mark their outstanding achievements at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The diminutive star, along with double medallist Kerron Stewart, decathalon and team captain Maurice Smith, Dwight Thomas and Richard Phillips, touched down on Air Jamaica at 5:55 pm.

They were greeted by Sports Minister Olivia Grange; Jamaica Athletic Amateur Association (JAAA) president Howard Aris; the legendary Olympian Donald Quarrie; Insports executives Ian Andrews, and Bruce McFarlane, and family members in the VIP Lounge.

"It doesn't matter who you train with, as long as you are talented you're going to run fast," Campbell-Brown told the Observer yesterday.


Double Olympic champion Veronica Campbell-Brown (right) walks with Sports Minister Olivia 'Babsy' Grange while waving to well-wishers on arrival at the Norman Manley International Airport yesterday. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

"I have been through the high school system and have gained a lot from it. I have been away from Jamaica since 2001 at Barton County, Arkansas and recently moved to Florida and I have been working with my training programme and it seems to work for me, so I have no interest in changing it; all I can do is improve on it,"
she reiterated.

"Jamaica is known for its rich tradition in sprinting. I am proud for my teammates," she added.

Campbell-Brown, who defended her 200 metres title in August, said she was more than happy with her performance.
"I am satisfied. I could not have asked for anything better. I have to be thankful, it was a great Olympic Games. It feels good to be home," she beamed.

Meanwhile, Stewart, who won silver in the 100 metres and bronze in the 200 metres, was also delighted to be home.
Said Stewart: "I am feeling great. I didn't expect this welcome. I am happy and proud. I am just happy to be home."

Stewart, who started as favourite in the 100 metres, said she couldn't complain after capturing two medals at the Games in Beijing, China.

"Getting two medals... I went there with the intention of getting gold, but a silver and a bronze, what more can I ask for?" said Stewart.

"Just to see three Jamaicans on the podium was most fulfilling than any thing else," she added.

Jamaican athletes took Beijing by storm and to celebrate that glorious accomplishment, government leaders will host an "around town" Float Parade in Kingston.

The athletes will board the three Digicel floats - "Olympic Dreams", "Lightning Bolt" and "Golden Girls"; which will make stops in all the major towns in the Corporate Area, including some of the athletes' own communities.

The excitement will hit the streets in the western part of the island on Tuesday when the parade is staged all over again, moving from Montego Bay through to Falmouth.

Read More