MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Police here say the arrest of 54 individuals accused of lottery scamming has resulted in a reduction in crime in Manchester, with the division recording fewer homicides and none in October.

Head of the Manchester Police Division Deputy Superintendent Odean Dennis said 28 murders have been recorded so far this year, compared to 31 for the corresponding period in 2025.

“When we look at the crimes that are being committed and, in particular murders, we are seeing where revenge and reprisal, as well as lottery scamming, are the top contenders in terms of contributors to the murders and shootings that were being committed in the division,” he said at Thursday’s sitting of the Manchester Municipal Corporation.

“These are things that we realise that we have to do some significant work around, and I am happy to report that since June of this year we have arrested a total of 54 persons for lottery scamming-related offences and we are doing some significant work in terms of doing several more of these arrests,” he added.

File photo of police units and personnel on an operation in Mandeville. (Photo: Kasey Williams)

Dennis warned that the clampdown on people involved in the lucrative yet illicit trade will be heightened.

“We are currently working with our partners from the [Financial Investigations Division] and from other entities within the force as well as our external partners to progress a number of investigations around persons involved in scamming, and in short order there will be some further arrests,” he said.

Dennis also declared that Manchester will no longer be a hideout parish for migrant criminals.

“We are getting at them, and we are seeing the effects of that in terms of them moving from the Manchester area. We don’t want people to believe that Manchester is a haven for scammers,” said Dennis.

He pointed to operational successes with 1,542 targeted raids resulting in the arrest of 846 people so far this year.

“We have seized 25 firearms and 275 rounds of ammunition. We have executed a total of 429 warrants and we have seized a total of 419 motor vehicles and 166 motorcycles,” he said, while pointing out that motorcycles are prominently featured in getaways.

He said the Manchester division has issued 48,006 traffic tickets to motorists.

Additionally, he said that for the Yuletide citizens should expect to see increased police presence in the towns of Mandeville, Christiana, Spalding, and Porus.