ST JAMES, Jamaica — After weeks of what has been described as a “cat and mouse game”, police on Sunday clamped down on illegal drag racing that has been taking place on the outskirts of Montego Bay.

The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) intends to put a permanent halt to the popular weekly event, says commanding officer for the St James Police Division, Senior Superintendent Vernon Ellis.

“We’re aware of this illegal activity where persons are carrying out drag racing in that Ironshore space,” Ellis told OBSERVER ONLINE.

“The police will continue to take deliberate action around preventing this from happening, and where there are breaches I can guarantee you that people will be prosecuted,” the senior superintendent added.

The illegal event, which is held on Sundays in close proximity to a gas station in the community, Ellis said, was the target of a police operation on Sunday evening.

“We conducted a deliberate operation around this [activity] that prevented it [from being carried out],” he said.

He also noted that the event has been on the police’s radar for some time now.

“We’ve been targeting people there over the weeks, and it’s a cat and mouse type of activity,” the senior superintendent explained.

“It’s also using up a lot of police resources to cause [them] not to do this,” the lawman added.

An individual, believed to be the facilitator of the event, was warned for prosecution.

With approximately 100 motor vehicles parked on an open lot and along the roadway, the illegal event garners a lot of attention each Sunday evening due to the large crowd it attracts and the long line of traffic leading into the second city.

The lawman urged people to refrain from engaging in this activity because it is “a breach of public safety”.

“The overall activity is a breach of public safety, both from the standpoint of the Disaster Risk Management Act (DRMA) and the speeding motorcars so close to the highway,” he said.

On Sunday, participants turned up for their regular drag racing event, but were left disappointed due to an increased police presence on the “race track”.

Armed with a megaphone, lawmen were not only directing traffic away from the vicinity but warning against future events. Some event participants took to the popular social media platform Instagram to voice their anger and disapproval.

“So many other things out deh fi dem do, but yet a dem deh yaso deh try stop the fun and enjoyment,” one man said.

“See why crime cyaan stop…. know how much life this place goodly save cause people love the vibe and tek dem mind off certain things,” another man commented.

The senior superintendent advised individuals who wish to engage in drag racing activities to visit locations across the island that are regulated for the activity.

“There are places for this, you have the Dover Raceway in St Ann and Jamwest [Speedway] in Westmoreland,” said Ellis.

–           Rochelle Clayton