The Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA) has launched a probe into an alleged multi-million dollar fraud at the Manchester Parish Council.
Days after Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie warned that his Ministry would be auditing the operations of parish councils, MOCA investigators raided the Manchester Parish Council and other properties in Manchester and Clarendon.
The team, assisted by representatives of the Office of the Contractor General (OCG) and the Financial Investigation Division (FID) locked down the Council and seized documents and more than $6 million in the operation in the two parishes.
Two persons, including the Deputy Superintendent in charge of Road and Works in Manchester, were taken into custody.
Senior Superintendent Cleon Marsh, head of Investigations at MOCA, told RJR News that several persons connected to the Council are under investigation and other arrests are pending.
He said arrangements are being made to interview the two detainees in the presence of their attorneys.
During the operation, which began at 6:00 a.m., the cops also raided the homes of senior officials of the Parish Council - one in Clarendon and three in Manchester.
The team seized US$35,000 along with J$1.6 million at one of the properties.
The cops also seized electronic devices and documents relating to contracts awarded by the Parish Council.
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