KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Delroy Chuck, says the Government is looking at strengthening penalties for persons who illegally provide customer information known as “lead sheets” to facilitate lottery scamming.

He was addressing the Ministry’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Policy Development and Estate Planning Forum, held at Sandals Dunn’s River in St Ann on Friday (September 25).

“We have a problem now in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry where they put [together] leads and sell it to the scammers,” he said, noting that criminals are using the information to target vulnerable persons overseas, swindling them out of tens of millions of dollars.

Chuck noted that the proceeds of lottery scamming are linked to other forms of criminal activity, including the acquisition of illegal firearms.

“The repercussions when they get the money, they buy more guns, they buy high-end vehicles, and they fight one another and kill one another over the illicit gain,” he pointed out.

He said that those who facilitate the illicit practice should face custodial sentences, given the wider consequences of their actions.

“The Government is looking, that persons found with leads and those in the BPO who are giving it, they must serve time,” Chuck said.

He argued that financial penalties alone may not provide an adequate deterrent, particularly where people involved in scamming have access to significant sums of illegally obtained money.

Minister Chuck said that the Government is committed to safeguarding the BPO industry, which provides jobs for thousands of Jamaicans.

He said that tackling activities that facilitate lottery scamming is important not only from a law-enforcement perspective but also to protect legitimate economic activity and employment.

Turning to the matter of criminal gangs, Minister Chuck said that dismantling these groups remains critical to achieving further reductions in murders and creating safer communities across Jamaica.

He commended the measures being undertaken by the police to disrupt gangs, which at one point numbered more than 300 across the island, noting that the work continues.

He said that criminal gangs are involved in a range of illicit activities that undermine the safety and stability of communities.

“They are only concerned about themselves and they are involved in extortion, scamming, robbery,” he pointed out, noting that possession of illegal firearms enables gang members to exert control over communities and intimidate residents.

He urged Jamaicans to recognise the damage criminal organisations cause.

“Gangs mean Jamaica, communities, you, no good,” the Minister said.

—    JIS