US embassy cable - 05KINGSTON1572

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KINGSTON 001572 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAR (BENT), INL/LP (NBOZZOLO AND KBROWN), 
SOUTHCOM FOR RHANNAN, CA/OCS/ACS/WHA RUTH BRANSON 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/17/2015 
TAGS: PREL, SNAR, CASC, KCRM, ASEC, JM 
SUBJECT: JAMAICA: LAW ENFORCEMENT SNAPSHOTS 
 
REF: A. KINGSTON 01465 
     B. KINGSTON 01501 
 
Classified By: CDA Thomas C. Tighe for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
The following is a snapshot of recent law enforcement 
developments: 
 
1. Jamaica's First Money Laundering Conviction 
2. PSB Probing Criminal Activity in the JCF 
3. Operation Kingfish's Impact on Crime 
4. 800 Pounds of Ganja Seized 
5. Significant Seizure of Hash Oil 
 
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Jamaica's First Money Laundering Conviction 
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1. (U) According to officials of from the Finance Ministry's 
Financial Investigation Division (FID), Jamaica had its first 
conviction for money laundering on June 14 when Roxroy 
Mendez, a former accounts supervisor at Victoria Mutual 
Building Society (VMBS) in Ocho Rios, pleaded guilty to 32 of 
59 counts of money laundering.  Mendez was sentenced to two 
years imprisonment at hard labor and fined JM$1 million. 
Mendez' wife was charged with nine counts but was admonished 
and discharged. 
 
2. (U) Prosecutors claimed that Mendez used his position at 
the building society to electronically transfer and convert 
funds from the building society's account to savings accounts 
held or controlled by him, his wife, and other connected 
persons.  An application will be made for the court to order 
forfeiture of assets gained from the commission of the 
offenses. 
 
3. (C) In a June 17 conversation with Poloff, Director of the 
FID, Christine Chambers, stated that the FID's investigation 
into this case began in 2003 and because of the slow judicial 
system, it took exactly two years to see it come to a 
conclusion.  She noted that Mrs. Mendez was discharged 
because the prosecution took into consideration that the 
family had two small children.  Chambers stated that the FID 
is very pleased with the outcome and noted that while the 
Mendez case is not narcotics related, there are several 
additional cases with the DPP, two of them high profile, that 
are.  She noted that over the past two years it has been very 
frustrating attending meetings of the Caribbean Financial 
Action Task Force and having to report that Jamaica had not 
yet had a money-laundering conviction. 
 
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PSB Probing Criminal Activity in the JCF 
---------------------------------------- 
 
4. (U) Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) Assistant 
Commissioner Novelette Grant told reporters on June 17 that a 
number of police officers, including one high-ranking 
officer, have been implicated in a car-theft ring.  Details 
are not being released as the investigation is ongoing.  In 
another case, a policeman was arrested on June 16 after he 
was found with a substance resembling cocaine.   The officer 
will also face charges for illegal possession of ammunition. 
Grant heads the Professional Standards Branch (PSB), a unit 
of the JCF whose mandate is to stamp out corruption.  This 
announcement comes on the heels of Commissioner Lucius 
Thomas' June 1 public statement that there are criminals 
within the ranks of the JCF involved in crimes ranging from 
selling ammunition to participation in the illegal drug 
trade. (Ref A) 
 
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Operation Kingfish's Impact on Crime 
------------------------------------ 
 
5. (U) Operation Kingfish, a GOJ anti-crime initiative that 
targets criminal gangs and organized crime leaders, has had a 
significant impact on crime in Jamaica, noted Minister of 
National Security Peter Phillips in a recent press 
conference. 
 
6. (SBU) Phillips alleged that there is an unfortunate 
correlation between Operation Kingfish's successes and the 
rise in violent crime, claiming that drug traffickers were 
exacting vengeance on society for the damage done to their 
business by Kingfish.  NAS Law Enforcement Development 
Advisor (LEDA) advised Poloff that while there is a 
correlation between Kingfish and the rise in violent crime, 
it is due to a reduction in drug proceeds that has encouraged 
criminals to seek other means to finance their operations, 
such as the extortion racket.  Police intelligence attributes 
many of the murders to gang infighting and turf battles. 
(Note:  As of June 22, Jamaica's murder rate was 820.  End 
Note.) 
 
7. (SBU) Since June 1, Operation Kingfish has been credited 
with the arrests of 17 people.  The cases cover serious 
crimes such as possession of illegal firearms and ammunition, 
drug offenses, murder and shootings.  Post law enforcement 
representatives have also confirmed that as a result of 
Operation Kingfish, Donald "Zeeks" Phipps, the PNP-linked 
area leader of Matthews Lane in downtown Kingston, was 
arrested for the April 15 murder of two men, and a raid of 
Phipps' premises turned up JM$18 million, ski masks, bullet 
proof vests, an Enforcer machine gun, ammunition and ganja. 
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800 Pounds of Ganja Seized 
-------------------------- 
 
8. (U) On June 16, 14 knitted bags with approximately 111 
packages of compressed ganja totaling 800 pounds were found 
near the shore of Parottee beach in St. Elizabeth.  The drug 
has an estimated street value of JM$4 million.  While an 
unidentified man was apprehended in connection with the find, 
he has not been charged. 
 
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Significant Seizure of Hash Oil 
------------------------------ 
 
9. (SBU) On June 10, through the work of Post's DEA Country 
Office, 974 pounds of hash oil with an estimated street value 
of U.S.$5 million dollars, destined for Canada, was seized at 
Donald Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay.  Three 
men have been arrested in connection with this seizure. (Ref 
B) 
 
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Comment 
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10. (SBU)  The "snapshots" described above represent hard-won 
GOJ law enforcement victories, some of which involved 
cooperation with USG and UK entities.  The cases demonstrate 
both the types of successes of which the GOJ is capable (with 
commitment and focus), and the variety and magnitude of the 
law enforcement challenges facing the authorities.  End 
Comment. 
TIGHE