KINGSTON, Jamaica — Two men believed to be members of a gang operating in St Andrew were arrested and charged for breaches of the Disaster Risk Management Act and the Main Roads Act on Tuesday, July 7.

The men were believed to be operating under the guise of loader men and were extorting taxi operators in the Corporate Area, the police said.

They have been identified as 29-year-old Howard Reid and 19-year-old Alex Mitchell of Sunrise Crescent, Kingston 8.

Reports are that both men were observed placing passengers in motor cars parked at the intersection of Constant Spring Road and North Odeon Avenue, obstructing the flow of traffic and not wearing masks. The men were subsequently arrested and charged.

They were placed before the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Tuesday, July 21 and were each fined $111,000 under the Disaster Risk Management Act, the police said.

They were remanded in custody to reappear in court on Friday, July 31 to answer to the charges under the Main Roads Act.