‘HOT LUNCH’ SURPRISE
Maxfield residents shocked of news Kingston man was dealing illegal guns and drugs from food truck in US
Published:Saturday | June 1, 2024 | 12:09 AMAndre Williams/Staff Reporter
Residents of Maxfield Avenue in Kingston expressed surprise at one of their own who got the opportunity to live the American dream, but instead, according United States (US) authorities, ran afoul of the law in a major gun and drug running operation from a food truck.
The Orange County Sheriff’s office in New York said the epicentre of the illicit trade, Kirkland Salmon, 42, is one of 30 persons arrested in an operation dubbed ‘Hot Lunch’.
Three people are reportedly at large.
Salmon, whose food truck bears the Jamaican flag, was reportedly situated among others in a parking lot in front of a courthouse.
The operation has been deemed a very daring and sophisticated disguise, which took investigators six months to unravel.
Tongues in the Kingston 13 community of which Salmon is affiliated have been wagging since news broke of the arrest, which has left many disappointed.
‘Mi shock’
The Gleaner gathered that since Thursday it has been the topic in several WhatsApp groups.
“Him and him breda migrate go foreign a while now but him still keep in touch. Mi shock, but we nah say you can’t juggle but deh so? Memba him and the youth dem grow enuh, so him nuh lef dem out,” a resident told The Gleaner yesterday, adding that he didn’t leave and turn his back.
Another resident from the Kingston space said, “Mi kinda surprised seh him involved in it … . People would all start feel him send gun come a Jamaica, whether it go so or not. A nuff people want a chance fi go foreign and make better for themselves. I won’t judge him still, you have people a do worse but nobody nah know. Dem probably all deport him.”
“A years the G have that restaurant deh a run, all me myself never know a dem thing deh a gwaan … . Memba America enuh, a next food vendor probably a say how dem have so much customers and rat dem out … a ‘Bull’ we call him, youth we grow wid til him fada, who a soldier file fi dem,” another Kingston 13 resident said.
At this point it has not been ascertained if any of the firearms sold were sent to Jamaica.
A local law enforcement officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that, “Even if the guns don’t come here … how sure are we that money has not been sent and collected to fund criminality or buy weapons.”
Investigators say the illicit business was operated from a truck bearing the name Real Spice Delivery and Catering, and said it took some 40 different law enforcement agencies to bring the investigation to a close.
The guns were sold in lunch take-out containers.
The Orange County Sheriff’s office say the operators sold food, guns and cocaine and made millions.
Investigators theorise this is one of the largest drug trafficking and gun-busting operations in the history of Orange County.
Complex enterprise
The Gleaner understands that at the end of the six-month probe, all indications were that Salmon is the head of the snake.
They believe the firearms were brought up from North Carolina and the drugs sourced in Florida.
Officials said what sets the enterprise apart was the level of complexity, which involved a four-tier system.
District Attorney David Hoovler said the money generated moved around with ease.
“It was invested into real estate property and crypto, properties in Orange County and other things,” Hoovler said at a May 21 press conference.
Investigators say the illicit business raked in over US$3 million per year and many undercover police officers made purchases.
If convicted, the suspects face up to 25 years in prison.
The Gleaner reported on Friday that the food truck was at one time situated on Broadway in Newburgh across from City Centre which housed the offices of the mayor, but was relocated to the space, 150 feet from the courthouse.
The charging document and filed statements made in court alleged that the investigation revealed that Salmon was at the centre of four different conspiracies to traffic narcotics and firearms throughout Orange County.
The documents and filed statement said that Salmon was supplied with quantities of cocaine by two different narcotics suppliers to distribute from his food truck.
Salmon was also supplied with firearms to resell in Orange County.
During the operation, law enforcement agents seized 24 firearms and one kilogram of cocaine.
On the day of the enforcement action, May 21, police also recovered over 11 kilograms of cocaine, approximately 90 grams of fentanyl, seven guns, high capacity magazines, numerous rounds of ammunition, and approximately US$45,000, as well as scales and packaging materials used in narcotics trafficking, and 10 vehicles used for distribution.