Police yesterday carried out a raid in the One Order gang’s stronghold of Tawes Pen in Spanish Town and took a number of men into custody.

Cops had warned, earlier this week, that pre-emptive action would be taken and raids would be carried out in volatile communities.

Yesterday’s operation included cops from the Mobile Reserve, the Special Anti-Crime Task Force, and Jamaica Defence Force soldiers. It came on the heels of swirling rumours that One Order gang members had ordered businesses in the town to close their doors today to allow for the viewing of the body of their slain leader Oliver “Bubba” Smith.

Smith, who was killed three weeks ago on Festival Road in Kingston, will be buried on Monday at the Valley Christian Ministry Church at Windsor Road.

At the time of his death, cops say he was wanted for double murder, shooting and extortion and that he had absconded bail on another murder charge, fleeing to the United States before being deported eight years ago.

Last evening, dozens of relatives of the men who were taken into custody packed the station yard at Spanish Town. Many were not pleased with the cops’ actions.

“Them raid inna Tawes Pen and take away a whole heap a innocent youth. My brother not involved, yet still them haul him off,” said one young woman whose face was plastered with bleaching cream.

But the cops say Tawes Pen is teeming with criminal activity.

“That place is a crime den and we know that the people there are loyal to the One Order cause and will go to any lengths to cause chaos and disorder,” a detective said yesterday.

Up to press time last night, it was not clear when any of the men who were snared in the security dragnet would be processed and released.

“Every time we hold a man you hear that he is innocent. We going check out these detainees thoroughly because we know some of them are among the disruptive elements in the town,” another cop said.