By Petrina Francis, Gleaner Writer 
Richard Byles (left), president and chief executive of Life of Jamaica (LoJ), listens to Glenmore Hinds, assistant commissioner of police and head of Operation Kingfish, guest speaker at LoJ's 2005 annual sales awards for their Belmont branch at the Jamaica Pegasus on Monday. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer
OPERATION KINGFISH is is in the final stage of developing an anti-extortion strategy that will impact on the drug trade, says Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Glenmore Hinds.
He noted that his organisation is aware of the difficulty that businesspersons who are affected by extortion face in coming
forward and is therefore looking at creative ways of impacting on the trade without exposing
persons who are affected. ACP Hinds was speaking Monday
at Life of Jamaica's Belmont Dukes branch's annual sales awards, which was held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in St. Andrew.
ANTI-INFORMER SUBCULTURE
ACP Hinds said that he is aware of the anti-informer
subculture in Jamaica. He said, "I want to tell you that to be silent is not a viable option, because when you remain silent, what you are doing is giving more ground to the criminals."
He said that once the police begin to utilise the new methods being developed, people would be encouraged to give evidence.
ACP Hinds said that through partnership with international associates, Operation Kingfish is making sure that there is enough evidence to convict major crime bosses when they are arrested.
"If you arrest them prematurely you run the risk of them going to court, being acquitted and when they come back in their communities they take on a person larger than life," he explained.
He implored those present at the awards ceremony to assist in the crime-fighting effort. "Partner with us and help us to impact on these major organised crime
network," he said. "We honestly believe that all we do will be
successful only to an extent, but the critical resource that will help us to impact on the problem in a fundamental way is the ordinary citizens of Jamaica."
WITNESS PROTECTION
PROGRAMME
ACP Hinds said a robust
witness protection programme is being developed. He said that creative ways are being looked at to encourage witnesses to come forward. However, he declined to say what those measures are.
He said the police were also following through on the promise to destroy all illegal airstrips, in an attempt to combat the illegal drug trade,
"We are currently disabling illegal airstrips," he said. "Yes, we are blowing them up."
Since the inception of Operation Kingfish in October last year,
several go-fast boats have also been seized, he said. ACP Hinds said that the seizure of the boats is a deliberate act.
"If the boats are seized and cannot run and the airplanes
cannot land, then the drugs
cannot come," he said. "We are also closely monitoring the legal aerodromes and airports and other ports."
