Top ‘lotto scammers’ held in Trelawny

WESTERN BUREAU:

Three men, who the police have labelled as major players in the illicit lottery scam, were yesterday arrested in an operation carried out in the Coral Spring community in Trelawny by the Lottery Scam Task Force.

However, while the police have said that the men are top-tier players in the illicit get-rich-quick scheme, they have declined to give their names as according to a task force member, they have other persons on their radar who have not yet been held.

SEARCH AND SEIZURE

"We have been tracking these men for quite some time, so we are naturally quite pleased that we have caught up to them," a police officer told The Gleaner. "We are searching for a few other persons, so we are not yet ready to divulge any names."

According to reports, at about 5 a.m., a team attached to the Lottery Scam Task Force, who was acting on intelligence, carried out an operation at the Coral Spring housing scheme, which is located on the outskirts of Falmouth.

During the operation, which saw several houses being searched, the policed seized dozens of lead sheets, which had the names, addresses, and personal information of persons residing in the United States. Lead sheets are considered the standard operating tools of lottery scammers.

The three men, who are all from outside of the parish and may have gone to Coral Spring in search of a safe haven, were found in one of the houses with the incriminating evidence. The police also found J$140,000, US$500, a black high-end Toyota Crown Majesta motor car, two laptops, and several cellular phones.

Based on police intelligence, lottery scammers, especially those from St James and Hanover, have taken on a nomadic approach as part of their efforts to stay one step ahead of the police. Trelawny, which is considered a fairly quiet parish, seems to be a favourite safe haven.