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Jamaican Posse From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
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The Jamaican Posse is a loose coalition of gangs, based predominantly in the New York City area, first being involved in drugs and gun-running in the early 1980s. It is widely claimed that the Jamaican Posses are affiliated with Jamaican political parties, such as the Jamaica Labour Party and the People's National Party. The JLP posses dominate the east and south of Kingston and other smaller towns and the PNP posses are mainly found in the Western side and there are a few that state they are not allied to either Political party. These are often in the Northern slums of downtown Kingston. In the United Kingdom they are referred to as Yardies and have only a few place left as strong holds in central Bristol and North & West London. History The presence of Jamaican organized crime in the United States was documented on an operational level as early as 1976, but some members of the Jamaican posses have been in the United States since 1971. It has been only since 1983 that these posses have come to the attention of law enforcement. Initially, they operated primarily in southern Florida, and law enforcement officials there believe that the posses have come farther faster than any other organized criminal group now active in the United States. Originally dealing in marijuana and guns, they expanded into crack cocaine in the 1980s. Their centers of drug trafficking are New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Miami, with Connecticut's major cities as secondary distribution points (Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport). Today a large number of posse members are in prison in these areas. Although their members originate from Jamaica, they are not connected with the Rastafarian religion, who predominantly associate themselves with the production and sale of marijuana. There is a rift between the two groups over the production of cocaine in Jamaica--the Rastafari are against the production of drugs harder than cannabis. Jamaica, the third largest island in the Caribbean, was once the world's largest producer of bauxite, the principal source of aluminum. However, a decline in the world demand for bauxite in the 1960's hurt the Jamaican economy severely, resulting in a migration of workers from the countryside into the cities and particularly into Kingston, the already crowded capital. It was in an environment of abject poverty, rampant marijuana use and political corruption that the violent street gangs of Kingston were born. These gangs were formed on the basis of neighborhood boundaries as well as political affiliation. Both of Jamaica's major political parties, the Jamaican Labor Party (JLP) and the Peoples National Party (PNP), used the street gangs to influence the electoral process. In the election campaign of 1980, for instance, more than 400 persons were murdered as a result of political disputes. Victorious candidates rewarded their supporters in the gangs with projects for their neighborhoods, development and basic municipal services. The evolution from street gangs to posses was gradual. The gangs adopted the term "posse" because of their fondness for American western films and because the word connoted the use of violence to enforce political will and to protect neighborhoods from intrusion by rival gangs. Violence was important to a posse member to prove his manhood and to develop a reputation within the neighborhood for being aggressive. Because each neighborhood had certain political loyalties, the posses began to merge in order to exert more influence within their favorite political party. Each posse eventually came to be structured, with a particular leader – in some cases called a general – and a substructure divided into cells. The size of each cell varied depending on the size of the neighborhood from which it emanated. Cell leaders were sometimes called captains or lieutenants. The initial impetus for the migration of Jamaican posse members to the United States in the 1970's was simply the needfor funds to obtain semi-automatic and automatic weapons to be used in the perpetual gang warfare in Kingston. Once in this country, posse members were soon able to take over marijuana distribution networks of non-violent Jamaicans who preceded them here. As the posses matured in the United States, the leaders became more insulated from actual street drug sales and expanded into bulk distribution, especially when they became involved in the cocaine and crack markets. Since the mid-1970's, posses have been involved in trafficking the high-grade sinsemilla strain of marijuana called "Jamaican Gold," which is indigenous to Jamaica. By 1984, the various posses became active in the transportation and distribution of cocaine and crack, also called rock cocaine. In addition to drug distribution, the posses are involved in trafficking of firearms and in kidnappings, robberies, home invasions, alien smuggling and money laundering. Between 1984 and 1988, the posses developed a three-tiered organizational structure that is similar in many respects to that of the Mafia. At the top, the leader receives financial remuneration but never becomes directly involved in the transportation or distribution of drugs. Cell leaders at the second tier direct the transportation of drugs, guns and money between the street level operatives and the leader. Street level drug dealers at the third tier are primarily illegal aliens smuggled into the United States solely to staff the drug houses. The posses store their supplies of cocaine and marijuana at locations called "stash houses." On a daily basis, small quantities of cocaine are taken from the stash houses to places used solely for street level sales called "gates" or "gatehouses." Such a system minimizes the impact of police raids on the larger operation. As with other organized criminal groups, adaptability has become a characteristic of the Jamaican Posses. Between 1983 and 1986, when large numbers of posse members began moving out of upper Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx to establish networks in Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., some law enforcement interdiction programs were successful. Additionally, the New Jersey State Police and police from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey have arrested many Jamaicans on drug possession and weapons charges. As a result of these arrests, according to informants for the State Commission of Investigation, posse members, after 1986, began using only couriers to transport drugs. By the spring of 1987, these couriers were using primarily buses and trains on trips from New York to points south. Posse members fly back and forth between New York and their bases of operations to make arrangements for drug purchases or sales but only the couriers actually transport the contraband. Additionally, after 1986, posse members began buying some weapons locally but since this was risky in many jurisdictions, they also continued importing weapons by vehicle from Florida and Texas. The Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) estimates that there are at least 40 Jamaican posses with more than 13,000 members operating in the United States. Most of these posses are smaller offshoots of the major posses. Five posses have been positively identified as having drug distribution networks in the New York and New Jersey areas. The two well documented large Jamaican posses that frequently come into the news are the Spangler Posse and the Shower Posse These are the original groups, and many of the active posses in the United States are spin-offs from these two. Traditionally, the Shower and Spangler groups have been bitter enemies because of their political differences. The Shower Posse eventually expanded from their operations in New York City to southern New Jersey and eventually became active all over the East Coast, as well as Dallas and Kansas City. Members of the Shower Posse are avid supporters of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) allegedly aligned with the United States and the CIA) When Edward Seaga became PM in the infamous 1980s general Election his rein was a violent one and this was when many PNP allied Posse members fled to the USA, and a little later the UK. The Police tend to be allied to the JLP but not so much now as they have to play it for democratic reasons. While Spangler Posse members have been solidly behind the opposition People's National Party PNP (socialistic tendencies rumored to be aligned with Fidel Castros Cuban Communist Party but this alliance ended in the 1980s when Michael Manley stepped down as leader. When he was prime minister some of the JLP allied posse members fled to the USA and UK. The Army Tended to Show more support to the PNP. The first posses to operate in the United States were the Untouchables from Tex Lane in the Raetown section of Kingston, and the Dunkirk Boys from the Franklintown area of Kingston. A defunct posse that started US operations a year later was Renkers Posse; they are believed to have splintered into smaller cells or joined local Bloods and Crips sets in the Crown Heights(?) area of Brooklyn. Their rivals were the Dunkirk Boys Posse. Based on presently available information, the Untouchables arrived in New York City around 1973 but the group is no longer active because most of its members were either murdered or imprisoned. Its few remaining members have been absorbed into other posses, primarily the Shower Posse. The Dunkirk Boys are believed to have arrived in the United States around the same time as the Untouchables and are still active in drug distribution throughout the United States. Violence Jamaican Posse members are known for gun battles with the police and drive-by shootings in disputes with rival gangs over drug turf. Posse members are known for ritualized killings of members who "rip off" profits on drugs. The killing ritual usually involves the shooting of the individual five times; four to the chest and one to the head. Other ritual violent acts have included the use of laundry irons, chainsaws, hammer and nails, and butcher's knives. Posse members have little regard for public safety or human life. As part of their code, extreme violence is directed at anyone they feel has disrespected them or is in their way. Once in prison, however, their violence is savage but not regular. One notable incident took place in August 1985, when a shootout broke out amongst rival posse members during a picnic attended by over 2,000 Jamaicans in Oakland, New Jersey. Three people were killed and another nine were wounded. A total of 33 handguns were later recovered by police from the scene. The groups involved in the shootout were members of the Shower and Spangler posses from New York against Boston-based Dog and Tel Aviv posse members. The alleged head of the One Order Gang, Andrew 'Bun Man' Hope, was murdered in Spanish Town on February 8, 2006 which sparked a riot the following day. Political alignments Posses aligned with the Jamaica Labour Party GARRISONS * Shower Posse * Gully Posse * Renkers Posse (defunct) * Southside Posse * One Order Gang * Untouchables (defuct) * Maintain View Posse * Hype Crew * Back 2 Back Posse Posses aligned with the People's National Party GARRISONS * Waterhouse Massive * Spangler Massive * Dunkerk Boy Massive * Jungle Massive * Trench Town Posse * Skull Posse (defuct) * Tel Aviv Posse * Truman Arms Posse Flexible alliance posses * Rat Posse * Truman Arms Posse There are more but it would get very confusing, as the other posses change sides when they think they will benefit from it. This goes for the JLP allied posses as well. Unaligned posses and splinter crews The Dunkerk Boys Massive are the only major posse not to be allied with a political party, and never have been. Splinter crews are made up of Homeboys and Jamaicans or just Homeboys (if all the Jamaicans got deported) and they tend not to be linked much with Jamaica itself, more just the drug trade between the US, UK, Jamaica and Colombia. They are still Jamaican posses, however, in the way they run ops. There are probably thousands of small indie cells in operation, but here are a few: * 8 ball Posse * The Gucci Crew * 98 Posse * Du Rag Posse * other smaller as-yet-unidentifed posses not at large outside Jamaica More will probably be added to the list, as the Jamaican government is doing its best to split away from the guns and drugs, but it will be very hard. Article Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamaican_Posse |
