Police in Manchester conduct an operation in Mandeville and nearby areas, detaining at least eight people, according to the Jamaica Observer. The arrests take place on Friday, a day after newly appointed Manchester police divisional head Odean Dennis says he is focusing on lottery scammers operating in the parish. Manchester Deputy Superintendent Valdin Amos, an operations officer, says the operation forms part of police efforts to combat criminal activity, including the search for prohibited weapons and a crackdown on lottery scamming. Amos also says some scammers have used their earnings to lease properties in more affluent neighbourhoods, sometimes for up to five years, to avoid detection.
On Thursday, Dennis tells the Manchester Chamber of Commerce at Golf View Hotel in Mandeville that residents should be vigilant, including being cautious about strangers who enter communities. He says locals can be too willing to accept new arrivals, sometimes influenced by offers of cash such as advance rent, leaving homeowners and landlords vulnerable. Dennis also links recent changes in Manchester’s violence pattern to broader security concerns, noting that gun use has become more prevalent.
Dennis’s remarks follow a reported shooting death of a 57-year-old landscaper in the Trinity district near Porus, and he says detectives are gathering leads in that case.
