MONTEGO BAY, St James – Assistant police commissioner Clifford Blake has confirmed that the police have arrested key players in the multi-million dollar telemarketing scam in this western city.

Blake, who was attending the funeral service for slain district constable Luke Rhodes, told the Observer that the individuals suspected of involvement in the scam had been arrested, but declined to give further details.

Sources told the Observer that a joint police/military operation was carried out at premises at Halt in Anchovy in the parish in the wee hours of Thursday morning where the persons accused of involvement in the scam were arrested.

The police, a source said, confiscated documents containing the names and particulars of persons living overseas as well as equipment believed to be used for the fraudulent activities.

The telemarketing scam involves individuals acquiring the phone numbers and particulars of persons living abroad who place online bets with call centre companies in the Montego Free Zone. They then call these individuals and trick them into believing they have won money and convince them to send processing fees to clear their winnings.

The scam is a multi-million dollar business, according to the police, and has already claimed the lives of several players due to infighting among the members. It has also led to calls by industry players in the IT sector for the implementation of legislation that would allow for prosecution of such persons, without victims having to personally travel to Jamaica to give evidence in court.