Security forces began making plans for 'Dudus' apprehension from 2009 - Ellington

Retired Commissioner of Police Owen Ellington has revealed that the security forces began making plans to apprehend drug kingpin Christopher 'Dudus' Coke from November 2009 after word of an impending extradition request leaked.

Ellington said he met with then army chief Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin to begin planning an operation should an arrest warrant be issued for Coke.

He told the West Kingston Commission of Enquiry this morning that this was necessary  because of past experiences in which members of the security have been met with "violent resistance" when they went to Tivoli Gardens.

Ellington said both the Jamaica Constabulary Force and the Jamaica Defence Force committee resources to form a team that was charged with planning the operation.

He said that his team was asked to ensure that the security forces were ready to go at short notice and that the operation would safeguard the lives of innocent citizens.