Glenroy Sinclair and Rasbert Turner, Gleaner Writers
THREE MORE individuals suspected of being key players in the upsurge in violence in Spanish Town, St. Catherine, over the past two weeks, were taken into police custody yesterday, pushing the number of persons held in connection with the violence since Wednesday to seven.
"We suspect that one of three who we picked up today (yesterday) was involved in at least three murders committed last week," said Deputy Superintendent Meveral Smith, head of the St. Catherine North CIB.
IDENTIFICATION PARADES
With his investigating team now composing its files, DSP Smith said the suspects will soon be facing identification parades. He added that the police are out in their numbers searching for other key players.
As promised by Deputy Commissioner Charles Scarlet, there was a high visibility of both uniformed and plainclothes police personnel throughout the streets of the Old Capital. The move came less than 24 hours after DCP Scarlet met with members of the business community.
President of the St. Catherine Chamber of Commerce, Dennis Robotham, told The Gleaner on Tuesday that some businesses were closing down, while others were moving out. This prompted him to call a meeting with members of the Police High Command.
When a Gleaner news team visited the town yesterday, several business operators reported that there was a lull in commercial activities, even with the promise of heavy police presence.
"Business is still low, and despite their (the police) best efforts, shoppers are still calling in to get some assurance before they venture out," said Marcia Fearon, who operates a business in Spanish Town. "Businesses have touched an all-time-low since last week."
Meanwhile, the Spanish Town police told The Gleaner that the deployment of personnel will continue.
