Tyrone Reid, Staff Reporter

Scott

SENIOR JAMAICA Constabulary Force (JCF) operatives are conducting a high-level investigation to ascertain who is responsible for a major blunder that led to the illegal purchase of millions of dollars worth of ammunition from a confessed criminal in the United States of America.

In addition to being a confessed criminal, Lance Brooks - the supplier - was not licensed to sell defence items, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has revealed. Exporting controlled military items, such as ammunition, without a licence from the US State Department, is illegal. Brooks owns and operates Taylor and Associates, an arms-brokering business in Lauderhill, Florida.

During The Sunday Gleaner's month-long investigation into the circumstances surrounding the foul-up, the FBI revealed that local security officials failed to conduct the necessary due-diligence checks into Brooks' background and credentials.

The JCF has conceded that a serious gaffe has occurred.

"There was a mistake, obviously. We have to be dealing with it. We are cooperating with the American government and wherever the loophole is found, we will have to make sure that it doesn't happen again," said Jevene Bent, deputy commissioner of police (DCP) in charge of administration.

probe being conducted

"An investigation is being conducted and we are tracing and backtracking to see where the mistake was made," she said.

The probe, according to reports, is being led by John McLean, assistant commissioner of police, and Donna Burnett-Beckford, finance director of the JCF. McLean is off the island, and The Sunday Gleaner has been unable to contact Burnett-Beckford.

The police ordered more than 250,000 rounds of ammunition from Taylor and Associates, to which it wire-transferred US$81,100.00 (J$5.8 million). However, DCP Bent explained that the Ministry of National Security must sign off on transactions of this nature before they could be completed.

But, the ministry refuses to admit it was party to an error that is threatening to become a major source of embarrassment to the JCF and the Government.

Responding via email to queries regarding the arms deal, Gilbert Scott, permanent secretary in the Ministry of National Security, said: "The matter regarding the purchase of weapons from Taylor and Associates was part of a sensitive security collaboration between Jamaican and USA law-enforcement agencies."

But Judy Orihuela, media representative for the FBI, Miami Division, said that the case was "not a sting operation".

As a matter of fact, the Jamaican Government was far advanced in its bid to seal the deal when it was alerted by the FBI. "They (Jamaican Government) did not know that there was a problem with his licence. As soon as we contacted them and told them there was a problem, they cooperated and assisted us with the case," the FBI spokesperson said.

security collaboration

In a subsequent telephone interview, Scott refused to answer specific questions regarding the nature of the collaboration and when the alleged alliance began. "What you have is all that I am prepared to say on the matter," he said.

Meanwhile, Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin, commissioner of police, referred The Sunday Gleaner to DCP Bent. Lewin, who was appointed top cop in December 2007, told our news team: "Talk to the people who were involved. I am suggesting to you that Ms Bent might be the person best able to explore this with you further."

However, Lewin said he wished the JCF had not been caught in this compromising position. "It is not a nice thing to have the name of the JCF or Jamaica associated with anybody who is breaking a rule either in Jamaica or elsewhere," he remarked.

tyrone.reid@gleanerjm.com

Bent