Police say they have dealt another blow to organised crime syndicates operating in Jamaica after 19 members of the ‘Genasyde Gang’ had been arrested and slapped with several charges.
The Specialized Investigations Branch (SIB) of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) said that a woman is among the accused charged with offences under the Criminal Justice (Suppression of Criminal Organizations) Act. The charges range from the leadership of a crime organisation to being part of a criminal investigation as well as providing a benefit to a criminal organisation.
The SIB said that 39-year-old Tefari Green, otherwise called ‘Scoobs’ and ‘Scrappy’ is the only person charged with leadership of a criminal organisation, while Nicholas Henry, otherwise called ‘Chemist’, has been charged with providing a benefit to a criminal organisation.
The police said that the investigations revealed that the network engaged in a string of serious and violent crimes including murders, shootings and robberies between 2021 and 2026 in the parishes of St. James, St. Catherine, Kingston, St. Andrew and St. Thomas.
It said that the National Strategic Anti-Gang Division (NSAD), of the SIB, conducted a series of targeted operations and the accused were apprehended, positively identified during identification parades and subsequently charged.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Kevin Johnson, the Divisional Commander of NSAD, said the JCF will continue to go after criminal networks and implore the public to partner with the police.
‘Organised criminal groups rely on leadership, membership and support networks to carry out their activities. The NSAD is relentlessly going after these networks and is committed to bringing those involved before the court,’ said Johnson.
‘Our most vital partners in this fight are law-abiding citizens. We urge the public to report gang activities as we work to ensure the safety of our communities,’ he added.