Lotto Task Force on the move

The Honda CRV and other vehicles seized during Wednesday’s raid by the Lottery Scam Task Force.

The robust Lottery Scam Task, Force, set up earlier this year, continues to make significant inroads into the illicit affairs of the internationally damaging lottery scam, now sweeping across the country, especially western Jamaica.

Since the inception of the task force, a total of 80 high-end vehicles have been seized since the task force carried out its first raid on February 18 of this year.

More than 150 persons have also been arrested, with 34 of them officially charged as they are hauled before the courts.

Luxury houses with exquisite furniture have also been raided while than $20-million both in US and local currencies have also been confiscated.

Money laundering and unlawful possession of property are among the charges slapped against the perpetrators charged.

Three arrested, more vehicles seized

Meanwhile, another five vehicles including a high-end Honda CRV were seized on Wednesday morning (May 23) during an operation carried out on a premises in Bethel Town, Westmoreland, as the task force set up to eradicate the illicit lottery scamming causing mayhem and multiple deaths in western Jamaica conducted another intelligence-gathering raid.

The house is reportedly owned by an elderly man who resides in the United States and who has no reported connections to the ongoing lottery scam.

The raid also led to the arrest and subsequent charge of a man in connection with stealing electricity after wire connections were seen on the property while another man - said to be a family member - was also taken into custody for drug possession after marijuana was seized.

The task force was on the move on Labour Day as they also travelled to Trelawny.

They along with police from that division arrested and charged an unnamed 23 year-old man who hails from a Kingston address while a Honda CRV was seized.

The 23 year-old was taken into custody in connection with the seizure of the vehicle and computer documents and paper containing the names, addresses and telephone numbers of persons living overseas were found in his possession.

A massive raid was carried out in Coral Gardens last weekend where it is alleged the main brain of the scamming enterprise , ‘BEBE’ was arrested along with three other members of his entourage.

Eleven vehicles were taken during that raid.