MONTEGO BAY, St James —The majority of the 33 individuals picked up during a massive joint police/military operation in St James on Saturday remained behind bars last night.

According to Assistant Commissioner of Police Ealan Powell — the constabulary’s commander for the state of public emergency in St James — a number of ‘lead sheets’ (names, photo contacts and other personal information), used in lottery scamming were seized during the raid.

Powell said the joint police/military operation was carried out between dawn and midday on Saturday in the Bogue Hill area, where about 33 people were picked up, some of whom were wanted by the police for various crimes.

Last night the senior cop revealed that only a handful of the detainees had been released.

“Those that we didn’t have any interest in have been released, but we still have quite a number in custody which we have significant interest in,” Powell said.

He told the Jamaica Observer that since the declaration of the state of public emergency in St James, nearly 50 people wanted by the police for various crimes have been captured.