By Leonardo Blair, Staff ReporterTWO OF the most vicious gangs operating in St. Catherine have expanded and tightened their control on communities in the parish. And, according to reports, have even established an islandwide network of criminals who are terrorising residents.
The police have confirmed that the "Clans Massive" and "One Order" gangs, linked to the recent spate of killings in Spanish Town and other areas in St. Catherine, have spread their criminality to sections of Portmore. However, they have not been able to confirm reports of an islandwide network.
Both gangs are also said to be associated with the two major political parties the "Clans Massive" to the People's National Party (PNP) and the "One Order" gang to the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).
Deputy Superintendent in charge of crime at the Spanish Town Police Station, Dean Taylor, explained to The Sunday Gleaner last week: "We know the gangs spread wide in clusters but to say islandwide I wouldn't go that far."
He continued: "For the Clans Massive we know they have clusters in Waterford, Braeton and Greater Portmore. I know the JLP uses 'One Order' in their slogan so I wouldn't want to ascribe gangsterism to it. I understand, however, that there are certain areas you go into, and the expression is all over the place."
The two political representatives from neighbouring constituencies recently affected by the gun violence have, however, retreated into silence declining to speak about the allegations of political connection.
POLICE MATTER
"It is a police matter and any questions regarding the situation should be directed to them," said Member for Parliament for South Central St. Catherine, Sharon Hay-Webster.
Similarly, Member of Parliament for Central St. Catherine, Olivia 'Babsy' Grange, declined to comment on the situation except to say that the Herro Blair-led Peace Management Initiative was trying to broker a peace pact between warring factions in the area.
But many Spanish Town residents, for example, are more concerned about the fear that is enveloping their communities, than the genesis or connections of the gangs.
Several of them who spoke with The Sunday Gleaner last week explained that while law-breakers can elude the police, persons who "upset" the rules laid down by "Clans" or "One Order", cannot escape the vigilante justice of the underground dons.
"You can't escape, because no matter where you are, if you cross them, they will hunt you down until you are killed. Once they give out the order, whether it be Clans or One Order, it don't make no sense you run," said one vendor last Friday.
The police confirmed to The Sunday Gleaner that their investigations have revealed that the "Clans" and "One Order" groups have been responsible for the recent spate of killings in Spanish Town and other areas in St. Catherine.
Deputy Superintendent Taylor also confirmed last week that the fresh wave of shootings since Friday September 12, involve factions from these gangs.
The latest dispute is reported to be over the Spanish Town bus park which the local arms of the rival gangs are both fighting to control.
The killings are reported to be part of this struggle for control with conflicts sometimes taking on a political tone between the two groups.
TURF WAR
Earlier police reports indicated that a turf war between the "Clans" and "One Orders" was at the heart of the feud which has left more than 10 people dead in the last three weeks.
The "Clan Massive" formerly the "Bulbie Gang" is said to be led by one of the country's most notorious wanted men, Donovan Bennett, 38, alias 'Bulbie', who has been linked to a number of murders.The "One Order" gang, formerly known as the "Bubba Gang" is supported by Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) activists.
Having started out as a conflict between members of the "One Order" gang and members of the neighbouring community gangs in Homestead and Morgan Avenue, who declined to amalgamate, the violence has escalated to include their political rivals.
"The two gangs are trying to control the bus terminus in Spanish Town, where the extortion is prevalent," Senior Superintendent Donald Pusey had said in an earlier report.
Two Fridays ago three men were gunned down in a brazen daylight-attack along the Mandela Highway.
The victims of that attack included two brothers Anthony Gregory, 38, and Frederick Kirlew, 20; and Junior Pottinger, 31, all of an Oxford Road address in Spanish Town, St. Catherine.
SUSPECT
It's reported that about 10:30 a.m. a car with five men aboard stopped near the Caymanas Crossing on the Mandela High-way, St. Catherine. The men got out of the vehicle and began shooting at vendors who were selling donuts at the intersection that leads into the Portmore community. The vendors, mostly men, fled into nearby bushes. The police theorised that the killer(s) might have come for Pottinger, who is also called 'Shortman.'
In late August the newly-created Organised Crime Investiga-tion Division reported that criminal gangs across the island had joined forces in stronger and more organised units.
The police reported then that a new trend has developed where former rival criminal outfits form an unholy alliance, pooling their resources "and muscle" to control key geographical areas, operate multimillion-dollar extortion rackets and recruit business professionals to aid in the laundering of money.
"The amalgamated gangs have caused some of the old gangs to be redundant," said Deputy Superintendent of Police, Cornwall 'Bigga' Ford.
According to DSP Ford, these organised gangs are now operating under a centralised leadership with their aim being to reap the big bucks from whatever illegal proceedings their subsidiary groups were involved in.
