WHILE celebrating the success achieved in securing convictions for members of the notorious Klansman gang — specifically the One Don faction — Minister of National Security Dr Horace Chang has vowed that the security forces will wipe out that criminal organisation and other powerful, havoc-wreaking gangs.

Chang was making his contribution to the sectoral debate in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, where he highlighted the capabilities of the police which have been significantly boosted through improved intelligence gathering and technology.

“We are seeing evidence of improved capabilities. We have had three major gang trials, but I will speak of two. We have the Klansman gang trial. Fifty-three people were apprehended and 15 were convicted under the anti-gang legislation. It was a new law, so the police and the prosecutor’s office went through a long process to get convictions. The other people [who weren’t convicted], we still have them on our radar and the police is actively investigating and should be able to disrupt the gang totally, very soon,” the minister said.

Chang said these increased and improved technology and intelligence-gathering capabilities triggered key arrests and convictions, which he believes sends a strong message to organised gangsters. According to him, Chief Justice Bryan Sykes has suggested that a court to deal with gangs may become necessary in the near future.

“We have brought members of the Uchence Wilson gang before the courts; the Ranco gang, a group that was heavily involved in criminal activity; the King’s Valley extension gang, which has been involved in numerous murders in Westmoreland; the Umbrella gang; the Night Time gang; and the Jaggy gang. All those cases demand extra-special work by the courts. In fact, the chief justice indicated that we should maybe get a special court for gang trials. Another 51 gangs are under constant review,” the minister highlighted.

Chang described as noteworthy, the fact that intelligence had led to St Catherine’s most wanted man being killed in confrontation with the police in December last year.

“That case is of interest because men went to murder a family of five and the police made their presence felt. They were there to protect the family. After three days of seeking to get to the house and realising that the police was not just there by coincidence, they sought to return to St Ann and they were intercepted on the highway. The main leader expired in combat and one firearm was recovered,” Chang said.

Also, as a result of the improved intelligence capabilities, Chang pointed out that “last year a cache of 10 firearms were seized from a venue very near to the stadium. On July 19 last year, three members of the Speculation gang, a group that specialised in armed robbery in St Elizabeth and Manchester for several weeks. They were engaged, two were fatally shot and two firearms seized. The leader was arrested and one of his drivers shot in combat. Two gang members from Montego Bay were journeying to Kingston to purchase over 1,000 rounds of ammunition for an ongoing gang war. What they were not aware of was that we had intelligence. We intercepted them at the highway; both expired and were removed from the scene after a fatal shootout”.

Chang added: “Two gangs migrated after that and there is no more gang war in that particular area. What we are saying to the gangsters is that we will get them, apprehend them and lock them up. If they engage the police, the police is entitled to defend themselves.”