OPERATION KINGFISH, the elite unit assigned by the Government to topple illegal drug running and dismantle criminal gangs, picked up another member of the notorious 'Gideon Warriors' gang yesterday.
Reports are that the man, identified only as 'Santana', was trailed to a Kingston-based security company where he had gone in search of a job. The police said he had been under surveillance for some time.
Sergeant Steve Brown, the liaison officer at Operation Kingfish, said the police have now apprehended more than 12 members of the gang, which is based in the Mud Town area of Papine in St. Andrew. Its members are alleged to have shot and killed several people as well as in total command of a multimillion dollar extortion racket.
'RICHIE POO' REMANDED
Another member, Kevin Tyndale, alias 'Richie Poo', who took command of the 'Gideon Warriors' shortly after the arrest of Joel Andem in May last year, was remanded in custody yesterday when he appeared in the Corporate Area Criminal Court.
He is scheduled to return to court on March 23. Mr. Tyndale is facing charges of shooting with intent, illegal possession of firearm and wounding with intent.
The charges arose out of an incident in which a detective sergeant was shot and injured a year ago in the Papine area of St. Andrew.
The 'Gideon Warriors' gang came to prominence in July 2000 when they were implicated in the abduction of gas station operator Sylvia Edwards. Her body was later found in a shallow grave near Constitution Hill in St. Andrew.
The original gang leader, Alrick 'Tarta' Simpson, was shot and killed following a fallout between the members.
