C-TOC investigating extortion letter addressed to contractor of Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project

The Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime Unit (C-TOC) says it is trying to identify the individuals behind the extortion letter sent to the contractor for a section of the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project.

 

Work was suspended along the Georgia to Cedar Valley leg in St. Thomas briefly this month amid reports extortionists were demanding payments for the project to continue.

 

Head of CTOC Assistant Commissioner Anthony McLaughlin outlined the focus of the investigation.

 

“From what we understand the contractor got this letter by a third party requesting or demanding $100,000 per fortnight. We came into the picture late but we are doing our recon to find out who are (sic) exactly behind this letter,” ACP McLaughlin said.

 

He has appealed for persons who receive extortion letters to quickly report the matter to the police.

 

“In many instances persons do not readily report it. And it is probably because this is one of the threatening letters that the police got involved in it. But there are many instances when letters like these are written. You know, the tone may be somewhat different so they do not bring in the police,” ACP McLaughlin noted.

 

He was speaking on the Morning Agenda programme on Power 106 FM on Monday.