ST JAMES, Jamaica – The police have arrested 20 individuals in a crackdown on lottery scamming and other major crimes in the western Jamaica over a three-day period.

The special initiative began on Wednesday (December 18).

According to the police, the initiative has resulted in the arrest of one of St Elizabeth’s most wanted, who was been sought for murder.

Sixteen people have also been arrested for breaches of the Law Reform (Fraudulent Transaction) (Special Provisions) Act, and an additional three people arrested for breaches of the Dangerous Drugs Act.

The police reported that on Wednesday members of the Lottery Scam Task Force (LSTF) along with personnel from the St James Operational Support Team and the Organised Crime Investigation Division (OCID) carried out a series of raids in Green Pond, Maroon Town and Lilliput area of the parish. Four men aged 19 to 21 were arrested for their suspected involvement in lottery scamming.

During the St James leg of the operations Thursday, six separate premises in Paradise, Norwood, were also raided resulting in the seizure of paraphernalia of lottery scamming and the arrests of five young adults, ages ranging from 21 to 24.

And in Frome, Westmoreland, one of St Elizabeth’s most wanted was nabbed during the intelligence driven raids, the police say. Two women, ages 20 and 21, along with a 24-year-old man were arrested for being in possession of lottery scamming material, while three other people were arrested for possession of and dealing in ganja.

On Friday raids continued in Trelawny, St James and Westmoreland, when three people were arrested in West Gate Hills, Montego Bay and just under 300 lead-sheets, along with other paraphernalia of lottery scamming were seized.

In Trelawny, a woman and three men were also taken into custody in relation to their suspected involvement in lottery scamming activities.