Alma gang in pieces - Police

Adrian Frater, News Editor

Western Bureau:

The Area One Police High Command has declared that the much-feared Alma gang, which has been primarily responsible for the spate of recent murders in Westmoreland, has been dismantled and its primary stakeholders taken out of circulation.

Speaking at a press conference in Montego Bay yesterday to update the media on the police's effort to rein in lawlessness in the western region, Assistant Commissioner of Police Warren Clarke, the commanding officer for Area One (St James, Westmoreland, Hanover, and Trelawny), said the gang is now off the radar.

"We have successfully dismantled the Alma Gang ... 13 members of the gang have either been arrested or shot and killed in confrontations with the police," said Clarke.

The Alma gang, which came to the fore in 2008 and wreaked havoc under the leadership of the much-feared gangster Toniel 'Malta' Haughton, built its devious reputation around robberies, rape, murder, and extortion, which were primarily carried out in Westmoreland and Hanover.

Clarke told the press conference that in recent operations against the Alma gang, the police seized 13 high-powered weapons.

gang leader killed

Gang leader, Haughton, who was wanted for several murders, was shot and killed in a confrontation with the Westmoreland police on New Year's Eve.

In addition to the Alma gang, Clarke said the police have also had success in other areas where gangsters once held sway. In Mt Salem, St James, where armed gangsters roamed with impunity for several months last year, the police have been successful in bringing back calm to area.

"Last year, we arrested some 115 gangsters. We had some 53 fatal shootings while several persons have surrendered to the police without incident," said Clarke.

In speaking to the police's five-pronged priority plan to fight crime in the west, which was initiated nine months ago, Clarke said steady progress was being made, which has led him to believe that the crime monster, which includes the infamous 'lotto scam', is being tamed.

"The Law Reform Fraudulent Transactions Special Provisions Act (a piece of legislation targeting financial crimes) has been very successful in our efforts against 'lotto scammers'," said Clarke. "So far, we have arrested some 227 players and have placed them before the courts."