MORE THAN a dozen persons were taken into custody yesterday after the police raided several premises believed to be involved in the illegal petroleum trade.
An Operation Kingfish-led team went to premises in Greenwich Town and along Lyndhurst Crescent in the Kingston 5 area, where the arrests were made.
"We have seized over one hundred and fifty 45-gallon drums loaded with the various types of petroleum products," said Sergeant Steve Brown, information officer for Operation Kingfish.
He added: "We picked up intelligence that proceeds from the illegal petroleum trade are being used to purchase illegal guns and ammunition and, against that background, we intend to destroy the trade."
According to Sgt Brown, the police picked up about 15 persons who were subsequently questioned in connection with the illegal petroleum trade operation in sections of the Corporate Area.
Despite attempts to stamp it out, the illegal petroleum trade has operated for many years, especially in parts of Kingston and St. Andrew.
MAKESHIFT STATIONS
There is no consideration given to safety as the highly flammable product is sold from open drums in yards where some workers are even observed smoking.
The Greenwich Farm area and Slipdock Road in east Kingston are two of the known communities in the Corporate Area where the activity thrives.
Some years ago there was a major fire when an oil tanker delivering petroleum to one of the makeshift stations in Greenwich Farm burst into flames, not far from Petrojam, the state-owned oil refinery.
There was also a major fire in the Hagley Park Road area in 1999 at one of these establishments.
While no one was injured in either incident, the authorities are concerned that it is only a matter of time before a major disaster takes place at one of these facilities.
Also, the marketing companies and legitimate operators who are members of the Jamaica Gasolene Retailers' Association are said to be losing millions of dollars annually to the operations.
Motorists also risk damaging their engines as the fuel is often mixed with other substances.
