Andrew James, a fugitive whose name appears on the Spanish Town police’s most wanted list, was recaptured on Wednesday during a police operation on Old Harbour Road in St Catherine.

James who goes by the alias “John”, was held at a premises at 32 Old Harbour Road after police conducted an operation in the area. Police say the 24 year-old man was arrested and charged in 2001 for illegal possession of a firearm, but fled from justice after he was granted bail in the Gun Court. A bench warrant was issued for his arrest after he failed to turn up in court.

According to Senior Superintendent Reneto Adams, head of the Crime Management Unit (CMU), a team of officers from the Spanish Town police and the CMU went to the premises at Old Harbour Road and found James locked inside a house.

James, the police say, is suspected to be involved in other crimes in Spanish Town and its environs, including murder, shootings, robbery and other offenses.

“He bleached his face and gave us a lot of other aliases,” Adams told the Observer. “We have also taken into custody five other persons, including his brother, and are questioning them.”

Thirty-seven persons have been shot and killed in Spanish Town, with another 18 being shot and injured, since the start of the year.

The CMU has been based in Spanish Town since earlier this year on a directive from Police Commissioner Francis Forbes. Since the unit set up shop in the old capital, more than 200 people have been arrested. Adams and his team were also blamed for the demise of two brothers –Andrew “Dog” Hamilton, 26, and Anief “Cat” Jagaroo, 20– who were killed during an alleged gun battle. Cat and Dog were alleged to have engaged the police in a running gun-battle along Windsor Road in the area in March. A .38 revolver capable of firing 9mm and .357 rounds in addition to .38 cartridges, were allegedly taken from the dead men.

Meanwhile, Adams had a word of warning for criminals in the area.

“Some of you think you are smart but you don’t realise that our intelligence is much higher than yours. You will eventually be caught,” the controversial cop said.