Police Tuesday morning arrested popular member of the Black Roses Crew Andrew Smith, who goes by the alias ‘Ice’, during a police operation on Texton Road in the volatile South St Andrew constituency.

Smith, police say, was wanted for questioning in connection with murder, several counts of shooting and arson committed in the Kingston West police division.

Smith is touted as being in line for leadership of the Black Roses Crew after the murder of popular dancer Gerald ‘Bogle’ Levy in January. Bogle and four other persons were sitting in his Ford F-150 truck purchasing gasolene at a service station in Half-Way-Tree when two armed men on a grey Honda F4 motorbike rode up and sprayed the vehicle with bullets.

Bogle had ascended to the leadership of the Black Roses Crew after William ‘Willie Haggart’ Moore was gunned down gangland style by three gunmen in front of his business place at Lincoln Road on the outskirts of Arnett Gardens four years ago.

Two other men – Albert ‘Blacka Douche’ Bonner and Lowell ‘Big Bunny’ Hinds – were also slain in that attack.

Ice’s arrest comes on the heels of Monday’s lockdown of Andrew Phang, brother of Arnett Gardens area leader George Phang. Andrew Phang was arrested and charged with the murder of a 13-year-old girl last year. The police say Phang was among a gang of gunmen who fired at a group of men who were repairing a road in Arnett Gardens. The bullets missed their intended targets but hit the teenager and killed her on the spot.

According to head of the Kingston West Police Division, Superintendent Gary Griffiths, at least 30 men suspected of committing serious crimes, including murder, shooting and robbery, are now in the custody of the Kingston West police.

“The least serious charge is a case of felonious wounding,” Griffiths told the Observer. “A number of these persons are repeat offenders”.

Among the suspects are:

. Duane Alcott, who the police believe was the triggerman in the Good Friday, 2004 killing of Anthony ‘Chuncie’ Folkes. Folkes’ death sparked a major flare-up in Arnett Gardens in which over 15 persons were shot dead and dozens injured;

. Duran Llewelyn, also known as ‘Tim Tim’. Police say he was wanted in connection with five murders, including those of 16 year-old Charlie Smith Comprehensive High School student Leon McDougal, also known as ‘Lee’, and 19 year-old Francisco Nedrick, also called ‘Alrick’ and ‘Antsman’.

Both were shot on January 3 this year at Benbow Street in Arnett Gardens. Police allege that Llewelyn’s brother, who is now in custody at the New Horizon Remand Centre, played a role in the murders of McDougal and Nedrick;

. Aaron Thompson, also called ‘Birdie’, whom police accuse of murder, shootings and robbery committed in the Gem Road and Lincoln Road areas of South St Andrew last year;

. Richard Patterson, also called ‘Curry Cat’. Police say Patterson, who was once listed among the nation’s 10 most wanted men, was deported from the United Kingdom in March this year. ‘Curry Cat’ was held last month in the Wilton Gardens area of South St Andrew allegedly with a semi-automatic pistol and a quantity of ammunition;

. Roger Shaw, said to be a top member of the Miguel Gang which operates in the Gem and Lincoln roads areas. Police say Shaw was wanted for murder, robberies and break-ins at Gem Road;

. Oliver Christie, also known as ‘Carrot’, who police say is a top Bibbow Gang member and an alleged crony of Andrew Phang;

. Troy Wilson, also known as ‘Onion’ – a deportee who was allegedly held with an illegal firearm last month in Wilton Gardens; and

. Trevor ‘Gummy Bear’ Edmonson, who the police say is responsible for the distribution of arms in the Angola and Zimbabwe areas of Arnett Gardens.

Griffiths also said the police were searching for a man known only as ‘Miguel’, the leader of the Miguel Gang. The cops accuse Miguel of involvement in three murders in the area.

The cops are also hunting:

. a man known by the alias ‘Bow Wow’, who they say is a crony of Miguel;

. a man known only as ‘Brettler’, who police say is wanted on eight counts of shooting;

. one man known as ‘CVM’, from the Lincoln Road area; and

. a man known as ‘Washie Dread’, whom the police describe as a Rastafarian who operates out of a community known as ‘Cross the Gully’ in Trench Town.